Seven Seas Treasure
by Edmelon
Summary: "I'd never have thought that this little accessory would be more than just that. I'd have never suspected that this could be tied to greater things... And obviously there's far more to it than I ever could have thought." Amu, still resting the Lock in her dainty palm, gazed at it in wonder. "After all, a Key is nothing without something for it to open." 1700's piracy AU. Amuto.
1. One

**_Seven Seas Treasure_**

_~.~.~_

_"There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures."  
\- William Shakespeare._

~.~.~

The moonlight shone brightly off the calm waters that stretched out as far as the eye could see. The only other source of light came from the buildings across the cobbled road making the stones glow orange, or the hundreds of stars that twinkled in the night sky. Mystical could have been a fitting description. The clear sky, the fresh air, the gentle, light aura of the starlight and the lunar glow reaching the waters... it was all very surreal and the atmosphere was a very calming one.

The air was also calm, but there was the occasional breeze every now and then that brought with it the distinct scent of the sea salt which was far more pleasant than the smell of some of the markets a few streets away or the fish that had been brought back to shore earlier in the day by fishing boats. The fish were no longer there on the side of the road, being untangled from nets by fishermen, but they left behind an unpleasant odour that hung about long after they had gone. This section of the docks was quiet, empty in fact. Except for a few… well-known visitors. Or - for another fitting description - infamous visitors.

Kazuomi Ichinomiya stepped off from his ship and into the road where his crew hurried to work. As he observed them he barked orders, his tone hushed, though still as fierce as ever as he wandered back and forth and in-between the men and hissing; "Hurry up will you?" "Get that onto the ship!" "You'll be damned if someone catches the likes of us round here!" "This had better be enough to last us a month at least!"

At his orders the crew hurried faster.

In the road stood barrels and barrels of supplies - an entire store's worth consisting of nets, weapons and ammunition among other things in piles that they worked to get quickly onto the ship before anybody saw them. Kazuomi had had some of them to go out and 'acquire' their supplies from some of the local shops and he didn't want to risk being caught by sticking around too long. If someone like him was found here… If he was found _stealing _here then they'd have his head off for sure.

The law was too strict for his liking.

Under the cover of darkness though, he wasn't as worried as he would be had it been broad daylight or even evening. Even being stood by the water's edge wasn't enough for the moonlight to reveal their presence stood in the shadow their ship provided for them. All that was visible was the huge, black silhouette of the pirate ship that towered above them and their ill-gotten goods.

And what a ship it was! Even in such poor light the majesty of the vessel was astounding. She was _monumental_, beautifully shaped and her masts stood tall enough to touch the glittery night sky, sails fluttering lightly in the breeze to partially conceal a sizeable chunk of the moon. The waters gently lapped up against her hull, making the water ripple and the reflections cast intricate patterns of dazzling beauty up the length of the wooden surface, almost like a giant spider had spun a magnificent web of light. Had there been any other ships docked at the water's edge then this impressive frigate would have towered over them all; towered over their masts as well as their pride.

Back on land, Kazuomi looked back and forth at the shadows of his crew members as they hauled the barrels up the ramp, onto the ship and then to other members of the crew who passed them down into the hold, yet despite their efforts he sighed, exasperated. "Come on," he pressed, "come on! Quickly now! I don't want to get side-tracked!"

"Apologies, Captain," someone mumbled and shuffled past him whilst carrying another barrel full of gunpowder. They re-emerged seconds later to get another.

This went on for a few minutes or so during which Kazuomi's impatience grew. Eventually though, the last of the stolen goods made its way into the depths of the ship and the crew took this time to have a brief pause from their labour. It was the least they deserved before Kazuomi put them all to work again. After all, the supplies weren't really what they were there for. They were just simply killing two birds with one stone. Whilst they were in this secluded little dock beside a bustling coastal town they may as well stock up on whatever they needed.

The crew's little break was short-lived, however, as within moments they were being ordered back onto the street by their Captain. The tired, overworked men dragged themselves towards the Captain, as silent as possible for fear of drawing anyone's unwanted attention. They each stood in line, fearful of sparking up Kazuomi's wrath. They knew him well; knew that he was bad-tempered, hot-headed, quick to anger... however you wanted to describe him the fact remained that he was an undoubtedly unpleasant person to have in charge. Many had undergone beatings, keelhaulings and a fair few had been subjected to desertion.

"Right," Kazuomi began, getting straight to the point as was his style. God forbid that _the _Captain Kazuomi ever began beating round the bush. "You, you and you three-" the five crew members in question looked him in the eye and awaited further instructions, "-stay on board and guard the ship in case there's anyone snooping about." He told them sternly. As usual, he didn't fancy taking any chances of being seen. The small group of pirates obeyed his orders and went back to their vessel to grab a gun each. "The rest of you know what we're doing here." He finished. The hat he was wearing cast a dark shadow over his face, yet didn't hide the malicious gleam that had appeared in his eyes. Like a beam of light glinting off the edge of a sword, the look in Kazuomi's eyes was sharp, cold and merciless and his crew would often pray for any man unfortunate enough to be cut down by it.

He then faced the town and marched towards it, determined that tonight he would get what he wanted. He heard the footsteps of his crew behind him and felt his confidence grow inside of him. He had been waiting years for this chance. _Years_. Nearly ten of them. Tonight he would get a little bit closer to his goal, his aim, his dream… It was because of this dream that he was who he was now, that he had become a person who he would have hated in the past. He used to despise pirates with every bone in his body. Imprisoning them and making sure they were executed for their crimes used to give him a strange sense of pride, but now he was the Captain of one of the most famous pirate ships around. Ten years ago Kazuomi never would have dreamt of becoming involved in piracy, but somewhere along the line he had given everything up to pursue what he desired the most.

His determination seemed to grow more and more concrete as he pressed on through the night. Unwavering, almost alive and roaring with its fiery strength; it consumed him. It raged throughout his entire being, overpowering his mind and tickling at his senses. For ten years it had been brewing within him; tormenting him and driving him through the dark days and the sleepless nights when he had felt so, so _useless_ and frustrated because everything had always seemed to be too far out of his reach.

Yet now he could just taste his prize.

~.~.~

Amu's heart was sinking – _fast._

A world away – an entirely separate dimension from those who scurried about the dockyards in the little coastal town, scrounging everything and anything they could lay their hands on – Miss Amu Hinamori was sat silently in her grand bedroom, surrounded by finery of only the highest quality.

The clock ticked away on the top of the drawers, counting down the minutes 'til she would have to rise and leave the Palace for the week because, of course, it was required that she socialise with the family friends. It was just inconvenient that they lived outside the city. The Hotoris were a rich family, living in their posh mansion beside the sea and making their way in life through service to the King – Amu's father.

Yes, Amu's father. The King of the Seiyo Empire – the empire that expanded across half the globe and had set up the first major trades between all sorts of countries with powerful allies and a huge military force… And one day it would all be hers.

_'Honestly,' _she often thought to herself, _'It's not like there's any pressure on me or anything like that…'_

No, she was the eldest, so she was the next in line. Of course this also meant that she needed a King for when she took over. That was where tonight's little trip came in.

Right now her family were down by the coast at the Hotori home. Her parents had left the day before, eager to catch up with Yui and Mizue with whom they were very close with, and Ami, Amu's nine-year-old little sister, had joined them and taken along Amu's maid, Rima. Not having her own maid yet, Rima was required for the trip to attend to all Ami's needs as well. Amu would have gone with them only she wasn't too keen on meeting with her parents' friends. They were so... overly optimistic. She supposed they were just being polite like they should be and they were remarkably welcoming and hospitable, but as they were inviting the Royal Family to their household everyone had to be twice as polite and sociable as possible.

Apart from a wealthy background and a mansion overlooking the sea fit for entertaining, Yui and Mizue had one son, Tadase, and of course when the Hinamoris looked for a suitor for their daughter, they looked to him. With their families being so close and powerful, Tadase had been their first choice. It wasn't like Amu hated Tadase or that she would loathe the very thought of being engaged to him, it was just that she would rather have had the freedom to decide to get married in her own time. But of course that was out of the question. She never saw Tadase unless their families were together. In fact if they hadn't been forced to be together she might have actually fallen for him herself. As it was she enjoyed his company and had no quarrel in having to spend time with him. But above all, she noted that Tadase was a truly excellent candidate to be King. He was strong-willed, caring (if a bit over protective) and he worked for the Royal Navy as a Commander. He was fairly tall, blonde and had good features even though he would spend long periods of his time at sea. It was almost as if the fatigue and gloom that usually washed over those at sea wouldn't dare touch him and as if he was seemingly immune to the toll that voyages gave to any other. Amu would be a terrible liar if she said she hadn't caught herself staring at him once or twice in the past.

(Though maybe more than once or twice, but that wasn't to say she hadn't noticed him doing his own fair share of staring either with those dreamy, ruby eyes. She lightly flushed at the memory.)

She was sure he would be an amazing King, but, as of now, there was no point in dwelling on whatever may or may not be the case in her future. Some time had passed and she could expect a servant any minute now coming to fetch her for the journey. The heiress sighed once more and pushed the thoughts away for tonight. It would be many years before she would have to take the responsibility. She stood up, idly twiddling the locks of pink that curled from her bun, and checked her appearance in the mirror to her right. For a while Amu just stood staring at her reflection. An eighteen-year-old Princess with wide, honey golden eyes stared right back at her; pink-dusted cheeks and rosy red lips standing out against her pale complexion. For how long would this face stare back at her? How drastically different would her face become over the next few years when she found the crown perched atop her head? Instead of this creamy-coloured gown she would wear rich, vibrant and striking colours designed to portray her royal lifestyle and decorated with much more extravagant lacing and more impressive gemstones than the burnt orange jewels that shone upon her bodice. Instead of such a thin layer of makeup she would find her face smeared in pastes of bright white and dark, ruby red; and instead of standing in the middle of her bedroom she would sit upon a grand, majestic throne with Commander Hotori by her side. The thought of such a change in lifestyle made her heart drop again.

Unconsciously, she lifted a hand up to the Lock hanging around her neck. It was something she had had all her life - something that had been passed down through the heiresses of the Hinamori family ever since they'd been royalty some centuries ago. It wasn't very large, it was golden and around the keyhole were four colourless crystal hearts arranged to look similar to a four leaf clover. The Lock hung from a golden chain around her neck and was present there every day. She was scarcely seen without it. Whenever it was not dangling from the chain, whenever it was not there resting upon her chest, it felt as though a part of her had gone missing and for the life of her she could not fathom why.

There was a story about that Lock that Amu had once heard from her mother. She had said that the Lock brought good fortune and luck to whoever owned it, but the Queen's daughter had never taken it seriously and had merely responded by saying she was sceptical that such things existed. Even so, the Princess admitted that she would have truly liked to believe in it even by just a little; however for reasons even she wasn't sure of it was hard to even begin to consider that the legend might hold some truth.

Amu's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a knocking on her bedroom door. She called out for whoever it was to come in and saw a servant who immediately bowed to her and announced that her coach was ready. Amu nodded and fetched a brown cloak from her armoire, thanking the servant and saying she was more than ready. Taking a moment to adjust the garment around her shoulders she tried not to scowl, disliking having to wear such things. Covering her completely all the way down to the waist, it restricted her movements somewhat and only worsened the itching caused by the frills on the neckline and sleeves of her dress as it trapped them beneath the layer of fabric. Apparently though it would be chilly tonight, so the cloak had to stay, and she was forced to begrudgingly accept this fact with a slight grumble.

She took one last look at her room before she followed the servant to the front gates of the Palace where, surely enough, there was a horse-drawn coach waiting for her. Thanking the servant, she hopped in and was soon heading towards the coast where she would meet the Hotori family in the morning... All the while blissfully unaware of the large, dark figure that lurked in the shadows of the gates. Moving away from the Palace boundary, he stood to the side of a street, a large bird perched on his arm. Watching the retreating coach, he chuckled lowly before releasing the bird into the darkening sky, smirking to himself.

_"Her Highness is heading your way, Captain..."_

~.~.~

Across the land, far from the busy city that surrounded the Palace and tucked safely away from the public eye; a figure stood in the middle of a large, dark room. Their head tilted upwards, marvelling at the spectacle above them and they began to move, wandering aimlessly as they spoke up to what appeared to be the night sky, never taking their eyes from the brilliant glow above. Though dark, there was a strange sort of glow. It was calming, peaceful, tranquil... Small white dots that appeared to glitter and twinkle like the stars were scattered about the seemingly endless space above. It was as though the place was alive. It was mystical and - if you asked the nameless figure that admired it - positively breath-taking.

"The stars have begun to move...

"The Lock and Key drift from opposite ends of the heavens and are to meet again in the near future, though they may not be aware of it. They both seek something, whether it be an object, an answer or simply a new way of life...

"They will both be making great journeys to meet their destination and will soon come together to reveal the true Great Treasure... The encounters and the adventures and the revelations they will face will shape them and change their outlook on the world, however they must be patient. Everything will be revealed all in good time...

"The Great Treasure is soon to come, but the story has only just begun..."

~.~.~

* * *

_(**A/N**: Thanks to anyone who decided to read the first chapter of this fanfic. If you've already read this before, you'll notice that the first three chapters have been edited. I knew that at first it was pretty dull, but I decided to leave it. Very soon after I realised how stupid that was and tried to make it a little bit more exciting (?) to read. I hope I've been successful in that and I hope that some of you will be able to tell me whether it was because I don't want this story ending up as some dull, boring thing that no one can even face going through.  
So please tell me what I can improve; what I've done well; what you absolutely hated and wish for me to avoid in future chapters because, as much as everyone loves positive opinions, all I'm here for is to improve my writing.  
If you managed this author's note as well as the story, thank you again! I hopefully won't take up this much space in future chapters.)_


	2. Two

~.~.~

Through the town; rushing through the alleyways, the side streets anywhere they wouldn't risk being seen, for they would undoubtedly face a cruel and merciless fate at the hand of the law, they continued away from the docks. In the limited light it wasn't the easiest journey in the world and it would be much quicker to simply have followed the main roads, except that wasn't an option for them. Besides, they knew where they were going, so long as that idiot messenger had been telling the truth.

By now the outlaws had reached the edge of town. The road was bathed in light from the streetlamps and the pirates scampered through it and once again into the darkness, miraculously managing to remain unseen from the one or two locals who most probably had been peering out of their windows.

Kazuomi was not a man who like to be kept waiting and, as it was, the wait these past few years just for this one moment had been excruciatingly slow-moving and it had taunted him for many months on end. But now, here, he could expect results. His messenger had told him of the route the Princess would be taking into the town and he merely had to wait an hour or so until she herself appeared. Nearly two had been taken up already since they first docked at the waterfront; as he had sat in his cabin sipping his drink and biding his time and just waiting for that moment when he would take a step forwards.

"We need her…" Kazuomi murmured so low the rest of the crew could barely hear it. His mind swum with more and more thoughts, fantasies of his goal as he came closer to the road that led out of the town. "That woman…"

"If I have her, I'm one step closer to the Great Treasure…"

They trudged up a rather steep slope where the grass had grown out of control. Battling through the thick vegetation which as they went on almost reached the men's waists, they surveyed the area until they spotted the royal coach that was nearing the town.

"We can't let Fortune get his hands on her…"

As the vehicle drew nearer Captain Kazuomi was certain he spotted pink. "The heiress of Seiyo, she's vital…."

~.~.~

Amu's golden eyes struggled to adjust in the darkness despite having been sat in it for so long now. She blinked again, trying to make out something amid the dark, but it was no use a hundredth time than it had been a first. However, once straining her eyes a bit it was clear that she was closer to her destination. There were faint lights in the distance that glowed a pale yellow colour. She recognised them as the streetlamps stood beside the town entrance. She had seen these lights many times over the years as she had been to visit Tadase in his family home.

Thank goodness that the journey would be over soon. Amu couldn't remember how many hours she'd been travelling, but she knew that she was incredibly tired and would greatly benefit from a good night's sleep. She could put up with a meeting between the Hotori family and her own so long as she could get a decent rest. Though the upcoming days would require her enduran-

_BANG!_

Amu almost leapt out of her skin at the ear-splitting sound and placed a hand above her frantically beating heart as she attempted to calm herself. Suddenly feeling very afraid and very claustrophobic in the middle of the darkness, she leaned forward to call out to the driver of the coach when the vehicle came to an abrupt stop. Only a matter of seconds after the first shot sounded another went off, sending the horses into a panic and a loud gasp escaped Amu's lips as they attempted to break free of their reins, trying to jump forwards, sideways and any way they possibly could to get free, causing the coach to shake violently.

_BANG! BANG!_

Two more shots pierced the night air and the shaking stopped. The coach became still once more and Amu found herself feeling brave enough to glance out the window. Something in the corner of her eye seemed to move in the darkness, but her eyes had begun to play tricked on her and so she shook the sudden wave of fear away and averted her gaze from the corner of the window. The lantern from the front of the coach had fallen off and lay broken on its side in the road, surrounded by shards of glass and the flame that had flickered away inside of it reduced to nothing more than a glowing ember. Save for that she thought to have seen earlier, there was little movement except for the grass swaying slightly in the breeze and the area had become deathly quiet - the kind of quiet that torments you with the need to break it, seems to swallow everything whole and envelops you in a state of fear for what is lurking within, ready to spring out unexpectedly and tear it to shreds.

Her heart racing, Amu took a few deep, steady breaths and, deciding that she needed to see for herself what was going on, uneasily reached for the door handle whilst trying to ignore the sensation of the blood pounding in her ears. As her shaking fingertips brushed the surface of the handle, the door was flung open and before Amu even had time to react a tall, dark figure came into view. She was about to shout when the figure leaned in, wrapped their long fingers round her left arm and roughly pulled her from the coach. She would have fallen flat on her face had the figure not been standing right in front of her and she fell right into their hard chest.

"E-EXCUSE-!" Before she could finish they turned her round and a cool hand was pressed across her mouth.

By now Amu had come to the conclusion that this person was obviously a man. They were tall, had a strong grip unlike any female's, broad shoulders and she could feel their muscles as her back was pulled against his chest. But even so, it didn't get her any closer to finding out whom this man was.

Right now however, the heiress didn't really care about that. She instinctively began to resist and struggle out of this person's grip. They on the other hand merely tightened their hold on her as she squirmed and covered her mouth harder as she tried to yell out for help.

The person tried to speak to her, but went unnoticed as she concentrated on escaping, thrashing about madly in a desperate attempt to break free when, to her surprise, they suddenly let go and slightly pushed her away from them. Amu couldn't believe it. They let go… just like that?

And without any time for her to move away; to twirl around and demand to know who had handled her so brutally or to save herself and bolt; a haze set in.

There was no time for Amu to do anything more as her world spun and her vision blurred into a dark and dreaded nothingness. The sudden pain in her head throbbed and she faintly heard the barrel of the stranger's pistol – the object she had not even known was present until it had made contact with her skull – drop to the dusty ground as they quickly supported her before she fell in a strong hold that oddly enough was firm and safe enough to make her simply give up and succumb to the darkness.

The fall into the abyss was quick and she was soon withdrawn from the world.

~.~.~

~.~.~

When she came to, Amu wasn't exactly sure what was going on.

Her eyes were tight shut, but she was sure that if she opened them her vision would be blurry. Her head didn't hurt, but it felt light as if her mind was floating which in a sense it almost was. Her thoughts weren't exactly clear and there were gaps in her memory. They flew in and out of her brain; spinning and twisting and turning in her confused state, but she couldn't make sense of any of them just yet. Though slowly she became aware of her body to find that - for some reason she could not hope to fathom - she was lying down. She expected to still be on the road where she last remembered, but, on the contrary, the surface she was laying on felt comfortable, warm and she found that after rolling over and onto her side there was a cushion beneath her cheek. She exhaled and on instinct nestled her face deeper into the fabric as she often would when waking up at home in the Palace. Her hair seemed to tickle her skin and somewhere in the back of her jumbled brain she noted that it must have become undone somewhere along the line.

'_Wait… What's going on? How did I get here? I was outside…'_

Still with her eyes closed, she frowned and examined the memories she had left.

_'Palace… Tadase… meeting… coach… meeting… Hotoris… Tadase… coach…' _she came to a pause. '_Coach… what happened after that?'_

And then the chilling sound of a gunshot rang through her head.

It all came back and her eyes snapped open, wide and frantic, as she backed up on the bed, moving quickly in her panic and ignoring the sudden pain in her back as it came into contact with the wooden headboard. She blinked rapidly a few times upon seeing the unfamiliar room and finally it set in that she had been taken away and was most likely far from both her home and the Hotori mansion. There was a horrible sinking sensation in her chest, intensified as her heart rate increased beyond belief and made her head suddenly very dizzy. As if clinging onto any hope she had left that this was just a dream or wild hallucination, she gripped tightly onto the bed sheets and pressed herself firmly up against the headboard.

_'What's going on? Where am I?'_

"It's okay." A deep voice that had her hairs standing up on end and a shiver running down her spine spoke up. "You're unharmed."

Amu looked forwards in the direction of the voice and her eyes landed on a young (quite young - only a little older than herself) man across the room, leaning up against the door frame end with his arms folded firmly over his broad chest. She suspected that the man was trying his best to appear at ease, but a look at his body language could tell you he was anything but. The way his hands gripped the sleeves of his loose, white shirt and the way his shoulders were firmly set in their place indicated that the man was probably feeling very tense - something that Amu just couldn't understand. Being in the position she was, shouldn't it be _she _who felt the tenser of the two?

Aside from this, she noted that he avoided any eye contact with her. Yet again she found herself utterly perplexed at his behaviour as he lowered his head more so, his gaze mostly on the floorboards or on his boots. When he _did_ look up at her it was only due to the silence. Amu realised she hadn't responded when he'd spoken to her. Not that she cared too much about it. He couldn't expect her to be the least bit talkative in a situation like this.

"My apologies, your Highness." he continued, actually with eye contact this time and in a tone that seemed the slightest bit regretful. But at least whilst he was actually looking towards her she could get a look at the man's face with its slender nose and chiselled jawline that - had she not been in a hostage-captor situation - would have had a hint of pink washing itself over her skin. However all too quickly his gaze went back to the floor again and the deep, midnight blue hair on his head to fell into his eyes, covering up his features once more in the process.

"W-Wh-" Amu tried to speak, but it came out as more of an uneasy stammer. "Y-You know me?"

Immediately she wanted to kick herself. That or bang her head against the headboard repeatedly until she knocked herself unconscious again. Not many people knew that even with her private tutors and her extensive education, the Princess had a tendency to let minor details slip her mind.

A repressed chuckle was heard as the man struggled to hold back a burst of laughter and he looked up once more with amusement dancing in his dark eyes. The sides of his lips twitched as he fought the urge to laugh and he raised an eyebrow at her. "Why, your Highness, you are Princess Amu Hinamori, next Queen of the Seiyo Empire. Who wouldn't know about you?"

Amu felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment, still kicking herself over that ridiculous question. She decided to move on to the next one she had on her mind before there were any more opportunities to thoroughly embarrass herself in front of the stranger.

"Where am I?" she asked firmly, changing her tone in the hope that it would wipe the amusement clean off of the other's face. Switching into her usual Royalty persona, she prayed that it would help her to get an answer from him. After all, she wanted to get everything straight and so repeated herself, making sure her voice sounded far more confident than she felt inside. "Tell me where I am!"

This time the man raised both his eyebrows, any humour washing away as she'd hoped it would. He straightened up and came forward, his boots making a dull clunking sound on the thick floorboards. He stopped in the middle of the room and then spoke as seriously as she had which thankfully had her flaming cheeks calm down.

"You are on the Shining Black." He told the Princess. "I'm sure you've heard of us."

The words made her freeze, made her jaw drop before she could stop it from happening. Her heart must have skipped a beat or two and her blood suddenly ran cold.

_The Shining Black. _Of course she'd heard of them!

As of yet, nobody knew who the crew were on board the vessel known as the Shining Black or what they wanted; all anybody knew was that several years ago, a pirate ship had appeared at the docks in the east and overnight people and supplies started to go missing. Some of the people came back beaten and bruised, tormented and terrified… But some were never seen again. They would go missing in the dead of night as the buildings burned in the background and the buccaneers ran rampant in the towns they had targeted. Wherever they went buildings were broken-in, raided, ruined. They shattered the glass and split open the crates, robbing and looting supplies, not hesitating to slash their gleaming cutlasses at anyone who got in their way. Though surprisingly, that was all that they'd ever take. Their thieving in local buildings never went beyond supplies for their voyages and when it came to people's homes, mansions and archives little - if anything - was ever taken. It became increasingly obvious that the pirates had been looking for something specific and yet nobody could ever figure out what or why. There were always rumours and whispers about the coastal towns and the little, rural villages; speculations and guesses as to what business these corsairs may have, but none were ever confirmed to be true.

And then it had stopped as simply as that. The last Amu had heard of the mysterious ship was no less than three years ago when she had been fifteen. There had been an anonymous hint that there was going to be a break-in at the home of a family who at the time had close connections to the King and Queen. Guards had been alert and stationed around the couple's mansion for weeks; however it seemed that the hint had been nothing more than a false and wild rumour taken too seriously. Since that time there were a handful of tales and every now and then someone would report having seen the ship, but there had been no raids, no break-ins and no more kidnappings. Amu had almost forgotten about them in their period of quiet. It now seemed that it had merely been the calm before the storm.

Back in the present, the pirate before the Princess continued on and leaned against the small table to his left. "Welcome, Miss Hinamori." He said almost wearily. "Thanks to the work of my dearest 'father' you now have the pleasure of accompanying us at sea."

Amu found she was able to move again and leaned forward slightly, his words having piqued her curiosity. "Your father? W-Who is your father?"

She couldn't help but notice the barely audible 'tch' that left his lips and the flex of his facial muscles as he clenched his jaw before he could stop himself. "My father is the Captain of this ship." He turned his head to avoid eye contact once again and gazed out of the small, porthole window above the bed.

His eyes elsewhere, Amu couldn't help but frown in thought. His expression didn't sit right with her and she saw his body tense up again as they had done earlier at the mention of the Captain. She barely noticed her arms coming up in goose bumps as she suddenly dreaded her inevitable meeting with the man in charge. Anxiousness and uneasiness began to settle in the pit of her stomach, weighing her down with all sorts of worries and nerves that wouldn't be lifted until the whole experience of the meeting was over and done with. But of course she didn't particularly want to come face to face with the Captain, especially if his own son were to show such annoyance towards him. Naturally, Amu found her curiosity growing to the point where her mind almost screamed for answers, but of course she knew better than to ask. Before she could even reconsider questioning the mysterious man, the heiress was pulled from her thoughts by the heavy clunking of boots as they made their way towards the door.

"You may stay here until the Captain wishes to speak with you. Until then I'm afraid you'll-"

_"No."_

Amu got off the bed and faced the pirate with determination in her eyes. There was no way she was going to be locked up here until the Captain decided he wanted to see her. She was _Princess_ Amu Hinamori, someone who would _not _to kindly to being told what to do by a pirate who she's only just met. How would she ever lead an empire if all she did was cower in a corner and pray to be taken home? How could she even consider being so cowardly and letting this- this _outlaw_ order her about like he was someone who deserved to have her obedience. If he didn't seem so genuinely sorry about keeping her on this ship then she'd have had him hung!

The pirate, who had been about to open the door, appeared visibly stunned at the outburst and turned back to watch her with an intrigued expression quite unlike anything she'd ever seen. To see the strange man with such a look was oddly satisfying and she allowed herself a small moment of pride. Her confidence improving, she marched up to him, making sure to keep a perfect posture and a serious face as she had been instructed to do so ever since she could remember. "I shall not wait until your Captain wishes to see me! I believe it should be _me_ who demands to see _him_! Even if that is not possible, I at least ask to see this ship. If I'm going to be on board this ship for some time then I should wish to know where I'm staying. If this was your Captain's idea then I ask that I speak to him. I should know what possessed him to bring me along!"

Needless to say, the silence that followed Amu's demands was a little awkward, but she felt good to have said it. Meanwhile the pirate merely stared at her, contemplating her request, and it was only then that she realised just how much taller than her he was. It was something that made her want to back down immediately and crawl back over to the bed she had woken up on, but there wasn't a chance that she would actually act on it. Instead of shrinking away as his eyes bored intimidating holes into her skull, she stood her ground and stared right back just as she should have done.

But upon locking eyes with him, she couldn't help but notice the brilliant the different hues of blue were in his eyes. They were like jewels the way they shone. Mainly dark, but throughout the indigo abyss were specks of lighter shades – blue topaz, sapphire, aquamarine… Almost like stars as they appeared against the evening sky, growing lighter and brighter as the night set in and her mind briefly took her back to mother's jewellery collection back at the Palace. They were... The word 'mesmerising' was the first came to mind. They had her seriousness faltering for a brief second as she found herself pulled into the deep, _deep _realm of those fantastic orbs. Amu blinked once or twice to get her focus back.

The Princess didn't think of anything other than his eyes and the gemstones they resembled until he spoke up. After a long, hard thought about what she'd said he sighed, reluctantly opened the door and stepped aside. Amu looked at the open doorway and then back at him, unsure what to make of this and frankly a little surprised that he'd even taken her seriously considering that she was effectively a hostage aboard a notorious pirate ship.

"You can see the deck of the ship for now. I don't think the Captain will approve if I bring you to him early. He doesn't like to be disturbed."

Feeling largely triumphant that her demands had been met, Amu wandered out into what seemed to be a short corridor. The young man followed her and paused to lock the cabin door as she studied her surroundings carefully.

He walked past her to lead the way. "Stay close to me."

She tilted her head. "And why is that?"

"It's for your own good." He said simply. Amu decided it best to remain quiet after that.

She was led down a short passageway; dimly lit with a few candles that produced dark shadows on the wood panelled walls as they walked past. The tapping and clunking sounds made as they walked echoed off the walls of the small space, making it seem larger than it actually was; an effect that for the second time that day made the hairs on Amu's arms stand upright.

Making her way down the somewhat eerie passage, Amu made notice of five other doors leading into other rooms, or cabins considering that they were on board a ship. The biggest was the one they were currently heading toward at the end of the passage and so it was safe to assume it would lead to the deck. Its thick, textured windows allowed in a faint, distorted stream of daylight that broke through the uneven surface of the glass, creating a peculiar pattern on the floorboards which Amu tentatively reached out to with the tip of her shoe. Smiling faintly at the swirly outlines against the pale leather, she failed to see her company glance back and chuckle at her childish behaviour.

Other than this, there were four other doors obviously leading to other cabins (strange, she'd thought that any regular ship would have only had one, large cabin above deck?), but it was the one at the very far end that had caught her attention. She had taken one glance at it coming out of her cabin and almost shivered. The grooves in the wooden surface were black with age-old dirt that had filled in the multiple crevices and hanging off the chunky, iron handles was a large padlock that swung from rusting chains. She'd decided to ignore the uneasy feeling that had started to build up and carried on down the corridor with the pirate who had just reached the entrance to the deck. He grabbed the handles and roughly opened it, momentarily blinding the woman behind him as the light flooded in and she held a hand up to her face in an attempt to try and block it out. Once her sight had adjusted, her eyes widened at what she saw on the deck of the Shining Black.

"I suppose I should welcome you, Princess." The pirate said. "Welcome to the Shining Black."

~.~.~


	3. Three

~.~.~

So strange and alien was this world, it seemed, that for a moment Amu could believe her eyes.

There were countless people rushing around on the deck of the ship either cleaning, rolling barrels, climbing the ropes and ladders that were attached to the sails and the mast or jumping down into the hold and into the depths of the ship. They were all yelling at one another so loudly it was hard to hear what anyone was saying unless they were close enough, resulting in the background noise being nothing but a messed up jumble of words and phrases that were completely unintelligible to the heiress' ears. Oddly enough one loud-mouthed pirate on the left hand side of the ship was even shouting abuse at a green parrot that was flapping around his head, something that Amu regarded with both interest and the feeling that she probably shouldn't get involved in the slightest. To her slight astonishment, the people didn't look particularly vicious or evil like those back home had described them. They'd spread stories of ruthless, cutthroat corsairs with a blood lust that could only be quenched by the slaying of the innocent; cutlasses and guns at their sides ready to take out their victims whenever they felt the need and were said to have a frighteningly ruthless disposition.

Although observing them from afar, the crew of this supposedly 'evil' ship appeared to be too tired and weary to match the pictures other people had painted for them. They sauntered around the deck, dragging their heavy bodies about with an effort that made them grumble and moan in protest. Overworked and sleep deprived, they still pushed on to continue their work regardless – something Amu nearly admired in them. Though in spite of her newfound admiration, as she watched them further she began to feel what seemed like some sort of pity begin to grow. They were exhausted, filthy and dressed in torn, dirty clothes and yet were still going about their work. As she was led down the steps from the quarterdeck the woman couldn't help but wonder; were these willing, bloodthirsty pirates or were they slaves?

"These men," she began; "do not look like pirates."

Her pirate guide had heard her over the noise. "We had to keep the ship moving through the night," he explained; "we're not often required to be on duty so many hours at a time."

"I see…"

Eventually turning her attention to the surrounding sea, Amu's heart quickly sank as she realised how far she must have been from home. There was nothing to see about the frigate's surroundings but the glittering sea and the clear skies; a fact that had her feeling lonely, isolated and uncomfortably out of her depth as if she were sinking into those very waters herself. In a futile effort to spot anything nearby she focused on the horizon, desperately hoping to catch sight of something promising. In the end her concentration was abruptly shattered as she was knocked sideways by someone rolling a barrel down into the hold and she hurriedly moved to the side only to come into contact with at least three more people who roughly barged into her. Amu fought the urge to huff. Was she simply invisible to these men? There she was in the middle of the deck, a young woman amongst countless males; dressed in a fine, bright gown whilst they scurried about in dark, dull rags; and with the most recognisable pink hair. She was like a light in the middle of the darkness and yet they still failed to spot her?

Ahead the young man accompanying her stepped forwards into the chaos and Amu followed suit, scampering away from the other pirates who were now spitting curses as her for getting in their way. Brushing their insults off instead of putting them in their lowly place, she ignored them and stayed close to the blue-haired male. He _did _tell her to stay close to him after all.

"H-How far are we from land?" Amu asked nervously, tilting her head back to stare up at the massive sails. They were strange sails, she thought. Originally plain and bright like those of any other vessel; the ones of the Shining Black had been customised in an intriguing way. They were mostly black, stained in paint or soot – which substance had been used she could not tell. It was as if a painter had taken them for an empty canvas and hurriedly ran a blackened brush across the surface, leaving nothing behind save for the messy edges that remained a creamy white and, most notably, the giant diamond on the centre of each sail. It was a wonderful piece of art – each white gem perfectly shining through the darkness with not a noticeable splatter or smudge of black to spoil them. Had Amu not had the knowledge that this was in fact a pirate ship, she would have admitted to herself that the grand sails were really quite awe-inspiring. There were three masts, with multiple diamonds swaying ever so gently in the salty breeze; the ropes attached clinging on as if for dear life as the wind caused the sails to billow with air, making the beautifully white diamonds swell in size. Though despite their impressive appearance, upon closer inspection it was evident that they had been in use for some time - the edges were worn and the largest had undergone repairs judging by the distortions along one of its corners. Old, worn and tattered in places, but still a truly remarkable sight.

"Too far for anyone to swim back if that's what you're thinking." The young man replied to her former question. "The wind seems to have been in our favour. We're too far out by now."

"O-oh…"

"You've been asleep for most of the morning." He added almost as an afterthought and Amu fell silent after that, quickly feeling too disheartened to say anything more. It ate away at her as they stopped in the middle of the deck and just observed what was going on elsewhere.

**_"IKUTO!"_**

A loud, deep voice bellowed from behind which caused the young girl to leap out of her skin as well as almost suffer a small heart attack. The voice sounded so harsh, so cold that immediately the crew stopped in their tracks and turned to face the owner of it. The ship fell unnervingly silent in a matter of seconds. Amu noticed the pirate beside her visibly stiffen, his eyes becoming a fraction wider and yet despite this he didn't turn round.

"_Ikuto!_ You face me when I'm talking to you!"

Slowly Amu saw him turn. _'Ikuto..? His name is Ikuto?'_

"Ah…" the voice continued. "I see our little Princess has awoken."

Knowing that this was directed at her, she also spun to face the speaker. Stood only a few metres away from them was a man dressed in a black coat that went to his knees; overly large cuffs concealing his hands, and atop his head a black Captain's hat decorated with that familiar white diamond stitched in the centre. His face like thunder, he took a step or two in her direction and she felt the planks of the deck shake and shudder as his oversized boots slammed down on them.

"Princess Amu Hinamori." He murmured, eyeing her with a stare that she could only describe as predatory. She felt a shiver going up her spine as he stared at her with cold, piercing eyes. So this was their Captain. If he was going for the intimidating look then it was working very well.

The Captain then faced the pirate, Ikuto. The frown on his stern face was so deep and so terrifying that Amu could swear steam was coming out of the man's ears.

"Ikuto!" he growled. _"Why _is the Princess on deck?"

A pause came before Ikuto's answer as he desperately searched for an answer, worry flickering across his features for a split second before he maintained his usual neutral expression. "She requested to see the ship. I feel that if her Highness wishes to see-"

"_What did you think you were **doing**, Ikuto?"_

Several members of the crew, plus Ikuto flinched at the outburst and silence once again settled over the deck. It took a few seconds for the Captain to calm down and after that he stepped back and spoke at a normal volume, though the words still contained a venomous bite that made the Princess want to back away and hide in one of the barrels that she'd bumped into earlier. "Ikuto, bring her to my cabin now."

Ikuto nodded obediently and they both hesitantly followed the Captain back across the deck; Amu clearly being more reluctant to join him than Ikuto as she began to unconsciously slow her pace, almost glued to the younger man's side as she edged towards him. Before they approached the double doors the explosive Captain turned to look back at the crew who still stood watching with interest.

"BACK TO WORK!" the fearsome man barked. Instantly everything became busy and noisy again.

The heiress ignored the cries of the crew and simply followed the Captain onto the quarterdeck and inside the ship.

When they went back into the passageway the yells of the crew sounded distant – which proved to be a relief to Amu's sense of hearing – and she was led by the Captain and Ikuto down the passage and through the padlocked door at the end. Though she knew she had to follow, she couldn't help but feel all the more hesitant to take further steps. What on Earth did this man want her in his cabin for? The prospect of being alone in a room with him was a very unappealing, rather terrifying one, but of course she didn't have any time to protest as the Captain pushed the doors to his cabin open with such force that it swung back and hit the walls with a deafening _'bang!'_. Timidly stepping into the cabin after him, she felt the anxiousness swell in her stomach again as she watched him storm ahead. Amu swallowed thickly, fearful when she realised that she'd be stuck on this very ship with him. As if being kept hostage on the Shining Black wasn't frightening enough, being kept hostage by an aggressive, demanding pirate Captain made the heiress break out in a cold sweat.

As she was led inside the cabin, she took a moment to sweep her eyes over it. It had to have been the biggest cabin on the ship, yet was barely furnished or cared for – a fact that she would admit made her feel rather sad. She saw impressive glass windows on every wall made up of small square-shaped pieces of glass all of different textures. Her mind took her back to the tiling in some of the bathrooms at her family's Palace as she gazed out at the ocean view it provided. The main stern window at the back was left open, allowing in a faint breeze that pleasantly ran across her skin and for a moment she felt a little less despondent as she revelled in the sensation.

But all too soon she had to move back to the present and continued on into the cabin. Side-stepping to avoid tripping on a tattered rug, she noticed that the quality of the furniture scattered about the room was also rather remarkable. The fine double bed towards the back was enough to prove her point. Bigger even than her own four-poster back home, it was beautifully decorated and engraved with detailed carvings too far away for her to properly inspect and it saddened the woman to see the inches of dust and grime coating what should have been polished oak. The dirt encrusted the bed, the desk, the table and chairs, heavy trunks and the bookcase which contained scrolls of dusty parchment from which spider's webs dangled limply. More parchment and quills were carelessly strewn across the desk beside melted candles and old ink pots that hadn't yet been discarded.

The Captain wandered over to the desk and sat at its chair, causing Amu to grimace at the thought that he was comfortably sitting in age old filth. He leaned back in it and relaxed, but never took his eyes off of the woman who stood opposite, fiddling with the edge of the stomacher of her bodice and trying to remain calm under his gaze when in reality she was anything but. She wanted to turn tail and run, scream; do _anything_ to express the fear that set in whenever the Captain so much as glanced at her. Unaware of her inner thoughts, Ikuto stood silently in the corner by the door just as he had done in her own cabin, putting his hands in his pockets and facing the floor as if he wanted to just vanish into the background and cease to exist.

Amu breathed deeply and tried her best look as relaxed as the Captain. This was easier said than done she realised as the moment her mouth was opened she began to stammer. "W-Why am I here?" she interrupted the silence in a voice much less firm than she had hoped. She would scold herself for that later once she was more able to think clearly.

He kept his eyes on her for a few horribly uneasy seconds before speaking. "You are here because I say so," he said simply and his tone was so official that she felt more like she was in a lecture than held hostage by a group of rugged outlaws. "You are here because I have personally chosen to _welcome _you aboard our fine vessel and, as you have been graced with such a fine offer, I must take time to explain to you the rules that I plan to enforce,"

Amu resisted the urge to groan at the complete lack of answers. Everything was going too fast and in a way she had not expected and so instead of repeating the question she decided to listen to what he had to say.

"Until I give you a fixed position, Princess, you shall remain in your cabin and not have any contact with other members of my crew unless I allow it, understood?" She nodded. "Good. You shall learn to hold your tongue. I would rather not have you speaking out of turn, answering back, demanding anything of me or my crew and if - _if_ -we ever let you off onto land then you definitely will not speak of anything you have seen or learned aboard this ship. Is that perfectly clear?"

Again Amu nodded. "Of course." Now that she was being allowed to speak, she decided she felt brave enough to push for answers and hoped that it was something she would not come to regret. "Do you mind me asking how long am I going to be on your ship?"

The Captain leaned forwards, shoving away a scroll just within his reach. "For the Shining Black secrecy is an absolute necessity and it is already unfortunate enough that we had to take you. The entire Royal Navy will be searching for you… It would be too risky for us to get you go. I'm sure you understand." He paused to lean back once more. "Get used to this ship, Princess. Who knows how long you'll be here."

That was not the response she had hoped to hear and it felt like her world had begun to shatter as she attempted to process his words. A dizziness swept over her and she grit her teeth to feebly try and hold it back. The knowledge that the man was deliberately choosing to hold all the information from her made her frustration flare, yet there was not a thing she could do about it. Surely he wouldn't just kidnap the Hinamori family's daughter – the _Royal_ Family's daughter - without reason. He'd have to be crazy to even contemplate it.

"Yes…"

"For that reason you also do not get close with any member of my crew. Obey these rules and life will be a lot easier."

She blinked. "Excuse me?"

"If you fail to obey the rules," he spoke in that calm, terrifying tone again and stood up. "I won't hesitate to dispose of you. Desertion has been quite popular as of late." The prospect of finding herself completely alone on some remote, unreachable isle was nearly enough to make her faint. "Or maybe…" he reached into his coat and pulled out a pistol, making sure to hold it within her line of sight and making sure that the woman could clearly see it to ensure that his threat would fully sink in. "Willing to do as I say, Miss Hinamori?"

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she began to shiver, though it was barely noticeable, as she eyed the barrel of the gun. The metal tarnished and blackened with substances she did not wish to think about, it fully registered that this could very well prove to be the way she met her end. It probably wasn't even primed or ready for firing, but that wasn't the point. Her blood had run cold long ago, but at the sight of the brutal object it had frozen stiff in her veins. "Y-Yes."

"Very good." He put his gun away in one swift movement and barked, "Ikuto! Take her back to her cabin." She jumped, but apparently it had gone unnoticed as the Captain pointed a finger at the younger man. "And _not_ onto the deck!" he added, exasperated.

Ikuto opened the door like an obedient dog and nodded. "Yes, Captain."

Amu took one last look at the terrifying Captain before leaving rather eagerly, followed by Ikuto who closed the door firmly behind him and then proceeded to lead her back to the cabin she had woken up in. Once inside, Amu took a huge breath in the hopes that her mind would stop spinning.

"That's your father?" she asked him weakly once she felt able to speak normally again, casting him a sideways glance and wondering how it could be possible that the two were related. Given the younger male's quiet personality so far, the Princess found it most hard to believe. It baffled her. How could two opposite ends of the spectrum share a bloodline?

Ikuto had been about to leave her alone when she'd spoken, his hand resting on the door handle. "Yes. That's Captain Kazuomi Ichinomiya. I-" he stopped himself mid-sentence and breathed inwardly. She gave him a confused look for a moment, frowning in confusion. However, she then decided to just leave it and sat on the bed, slowly taking off her cloak.

_'It wasn't supposed to go this way…'_ she thought woefully. Her eyes were threatening to tear up, but she fought them back, refusing to cry about her situation just yet. It would have been nice if Ikuto could leave her be before she started sobbing. In fact it would be nice to just be left alone for a while in the first place. How could she ever claim to be a strong leader if her tears were on show for all to see?

Removing her irritatingly suffocating cloak and abandoning it over a chair, Amu gripped the golden Lock hanging from her neck as a way of comfort. It dawned on her that this little necklace that her mother had given her was all she really had to remind her of home. Now that she had been taken so far away she wanted at least one thing to hold on to...

It was then that Amu noticed the silence that had engulfed the room. She had expected to hear the door closing and she waited to be left by herself, but as a few minutes passed nothing happened.

_'I thought he was supposed to leave me alone?' _she mentally complained. Amu looked up, preparing to tell Ikuto as politely as she could that she wanted to be by herself, but upon seeing the man's expression the words completely disappeared. Ikuto stood in the doorway staring wide-eyed in her direction as if he'd just seen the impossible. His body unmoving and his jaw hung open; the stunned expression took her aback and she found herself gripping the sheets of the bed as if it would help in some way.

She frowned, beginning to feel quite unnerved. "What? What is it?"

In the following pause, he noticed those indigo eyes move by a fraction from the Lock and up to her face. She tensed, unsure of what to make of this strange action and it wasn't too long before she felt the heat in her cheeks begin to rise and her body squirm under his intense stare. He stayed like that for a few moments as though he was examining her before he suddenly snapped out of it and the look of shock disappeared. That same calm expression he'd been wearing for most of the morning was forcefully returned and he quickly turned to leave.

"You might not want to let anyone see that." He told her simply.

"And why might that be?" she questioned, baffled by his behaviour.

"Because…" Ikuto searched for an answer for several seconds. "We're pirates."

And with that he left the cabin, shutting the door behind him and leaving Amu alone in her room.

~.~.~

* * *

**_Definitions_**

**Quarterdeck**: Part of a ship's upperdeck near the stern (or rear).

_(**A/N**: In the future, if I leave out a word or term you think should have been defined, please let me know in the comments or message me and I can edit the chapters as soon as I can.)_


	4. Four

~.~.~

The crystals were cool, she found, despite having had them in her palm for the past hour or so. Perched on the edge of her new bed in the cabin, Amu contemplated just how much time could have passed by now. It could have been half the day, half an hour, half a minute even that she had been sat there staring into space, holding tightly onto the golden Lock as she thought and so she hadn't noticed how quickly or slowly the time had gone by. However, she settled on the probability that it had been about an hour and definitely no less than that. It was strange for her mind to wander so badly, but with nothing to do since Ikuto had left all that there was for her was to sit quietly and allow her brain to take over.

Unsurprisingly, the first item for thought had been Captain Ichinomiya – possibly the scariest, most menacing man she had ever met. She had only been here less than a day – not even a full twenty-four hours – and already he'd threatened her with both desertion and a loaded weapon. To Amu it was no wonder that his crew were so obedient. She could only imagine how working under such a man must have felt. The nerves, the pressure, the feeling of walking on eggshells… One wrong move and they could be looking down the barrel of a gun.

She ignored the chill that swept through her body.

"Just how does the Captain keep such a tight leash on his men without a mutiny?" Amu wondered aloud, whispering into the silence that for some unexplainable reason she could not bear to break.

Sighing when she could not find an answer, she cast her eyes about the room that she would call her own for however long this situation lasted. It was decent and certainly not as disgustingly dirty as Captain Ichinomiya's was, thank goodness. The cabin was small – _so small_ and _boxy_ that the pirates had probably had difficulty cramming in each piece of furniture into the tiny space – and had a single porthole above the bed, though Amu didn't really understand why. Yes, it let in the light and made her feel less claustrophobic, but what was there to see out there besides the rolling waves? The gentle water that sloshed around the side of the frigate wasn't exactly what the Princess wanted to see at that moment unless of course she wanted to be reminded of her predicament.

Deliberately ignoring the small window and the view outside, she forced herself to look straight ahead at the rest of the cabin. She had already inspected the furniture scattered about numerous times – a writing desk over there; a small rounded table; a few chairs plus a deep, oval-shaped bath to the left… But she didn't see how on Earth she was supposed to use it without any freshwater to fill it up (saltwater wasn't ideal for even cleaning clothes if she wanted them to actually dry properly) or whether it was supposed to be there at all. However, she quickly let it go; deciding that she probably would not use it anyway.

Beginning to feel the boredom nagging away at her brain, Amu glanced over to the door and went so far as to hope that perhaps somebody would enter. No one did and she bitterly laughed to herself.

"Here I am hoping for the company of corsairs despite my being their hostage." She muttered under her breath with a scowl set on her features. "If someone were to walk in right now I can probably bet that their news would not be anything good, so why do I allow myself to make such stupid wishes?"

The seconds ticked by once the woman had finished talking to herself and she occasionally flicked her eyes back and forth just to check that no one would actually enter. Though who would actually think to come inside? The majority of the crew were out on the deck and the Captain was in his cabin (where Amu strongly hoped he would stay) and that just left-

'_Ikuto…'_

_A frown crossed her face as indigo flashed in her head and she found herself mumbling to the silence once again._

_"I don't understand him."_

Although she now knew what kind of person the ship's Captain was, that still wasn't enough to even begin to explain how his own son seemed to feel about him.

And Amu would admit that she could see as clear as day why people would fear him, why they would obey him she understood why the crew would behave for him… but it bugged her to no end why Ikuto would bear such a look of agitation when his father was brought up. The forceful tone, the clenched jaw and his body language in general had her curiosity piqued because why would he behave that way at all? Perhaps he disagreed with the way with his father's rules or how the ship was organised, but then again the Shining Black was a _pirate _ship… What else could anybody possibly expect? These were buccaneers; sea-faring criminals who were feared across the nation for their evil deeds as they plundered navy vessels and set small villages alight, leaving nothing but a barren wasteland of ash and dust where buildings had been mercilessly destroyed.

Frustrated, Amu sighed heavily. "Why am I thinking so much about that anyway?"

Once more, Amu swept her eyes over the cabin. The cabin that was located on the Shining Black - a pirate ship that she had no possible hope of escaping from and where she could possibly be doomed to stay for all of her remaining days if she was unlucky enough.

Could that really be true? Could she really have to remain here for the rest of her life? Would she ever get even the slightest chance to see her beloved family again?

Her heart ached with longing.

'_Father, mother, Ami, Rima, Tadase! When will I get to see them again?'_

The heiress wondered what they could all be doing back at home. She hadn't a clue what time it was, but on a normal day such as this one she would either be in her room with Rima for company or maybe she would be being taught by her private tutors how to manage an entire empire when she was older. Compared to this particular day (which she reckoned was the furthest she would ever get from the concept of 'normal') that perhaps didn't sound like such a bad idea right now, contrary to her previous beliefs.

And what would her parents possibly be doing? If they had not yet noticed that she was gone they would probably be meeting with important people of high nobility or with royal advisors. Maybe they were simply relaxing somewhere in the Hotori's mansion. She could just picture them sat in the parlour, leaning back in fine chairs and admiring the view of the sea from the balcony window whilst maids brought them drinks and small confections of some sort…

And if they had realised that their eldest daughter had vanished off the face of the planet? Amu had no doubt that they would have already noticed. But what was it they'd do then? She supposed search parties would be sent out and the guards of the Palace entrance would be thoroughly questioned, but it would be utterly hopeless! They would not go beyond the border of their city or Tadase's little town, yet here she was feeling half a world away, bobbing uselessly over the ocean and trapped inside this cabin where they could not hear her cry or beg for rescue. She tried not to dwell on the fact that her parents would be worried beyond belief. For some odd reason the thought made her feel a little guilty despite her kidnapping not being in any way her fault.

It was when there begun a burning sensation behind her golden eyes that Amu forced herself to stop thinking about it for good. Hurriedly wiping away a few lone tears, she turned back to face the door to her cabin. It had been locked and could not be opened without a key or from the inside.

How would she ever get home?

~.~.~

Marble surfaces and shiny, sleek and polished furniture lit up as the entranceway to the hall opened, pouring pools of light into the space as the Commander made his grand entrance.

Strolling into the room with an air of ease and a strong composure, Tadase greeted the royals with a deep, respectful bow, twisting the magnificent silver staff in his hand alongside the movement. The beams rebounded from the large, blue crystal set atop the cane and cast thin rays of cerulean light across the faces of his company.

"I am very glad that you could meet with me again, your Majesties." He said before briefly nodding his head to the guards stood either side of the King. "It's an honour to be in your company."

King Tsumugu, clearly impressed as always, nodded back at the young man before him and watched as held out a hand to shake the Queen's hand, something he did whenever he was in her presence purely due to years of tradition, having met the woman countless times over the years. With her husband however, he would only ever settle for a bow. Shaking the hand of the King was never permitted and he wouldn't dare try for fear that his two bodyguards would intervene. Yuu Nikaidou and Nagihiko Fujisaki may not have looked as threatening as some other guards he knew, but he was well aware that they were capable and willing to protect the King with their lives. It was due to this that, until a couple of years ago, Tadase's interactions with His Majesty had been very limited. It had never been a problem with Her Majesty though. Yes, Nikaidou and Fujisaki were entrusted with her wellbeing also, but the only constant figure at her side was Yukari. The maid was a silent shadow, but she was not just any shadow – she was Midori's shadow. Never speaking, never moving, and barely so much as _breathing _unless Her Majesty asked for it. Tadase admired the woman's dedication.

The Queen returned Tadase's handshake with a smile. "It's a pleasure to meet with you again, Tadase."

Tsumugu smiled at their behaviour before taking the lead, saying loudly, "I'm quite interested to hear those suggestions you have thought of for the expansion of our empire, Tadase."

The man in question seemed to recall asking to have this conversation with the King. He brushed a strand of fair hair out of ruby eyes before adopting a serious expression and a straightforward manner which he hoped would indicate that he was in no need of any small talk. This moment was for formality. He had called them down to the mansion's hall not for a chance to socialise, but for business; even going so far as to dress in his most formal attire in the hopes that he would appear as such to the rulers who were staying in his family home. A blue-grey suit fabricated from the finest of foreign silks and bearing impressive white frills were selected to make the best impression and – as usual – it worked. With every breath the man took the two parents were more and more willing to give him their daughter's hand. It almost made him dizzy with anticipation for the day he would finally get to see Amu walk down the aisle of the cathedral.

"Before that though," Tadase began, "May I have the pleasure of speaking with your daughter, Your Majesty?"

It took a second, but the King merely blinked before responding in mild surprise. "With Amu?"

"Yes, sir." The blonde replied. "I don't believe I've had the chance to greet her since last we met."

With some prompting from his wife, Tsumugu eventually accepted and turned to one of his two guards – Fujisaki – whom he ordered to retrieve his daughter from the guestroom she would be staying in. Slightly disgruntled that he should be sent on such an insignificant errand (surely it was not worth leaving his post and possibly weakening the tight security around His Highness' life?), Nagihiko nodded silently and was on his way through the mansion corridors. He reasoned in his mind that if he wanted to be of use to the King of Seiyo, he would have to follow his orders 'til the very end. But as he rounded another corner and began his way up the magnificent stairway, he noted in the back of his mind that, though he knew roughly the location of the Princess' room, he did not know the exact way there.

"Ah…" he whispered under his breath, pleased to be able to speak when no longer in the presence of royalty even if only to himself. "I should have found a maid to lead the wa-"

"Yes, Fujisaki?"

Pausing halfway up the staircase, Nagihiko glanced upwards to see the tiny doll-like figure stood as pretty as a picture on the landing of the first floor. With poise and a certain air of dignity despite her lowly status, Rima regarded the purple-haired guard with familiarity – something he was thankful for.

"Miss Mashiro," he announced the name cheerily and with a pleasant, kind grin that he was glad to show her with no one around to remind them of their places. "Are you having a pleasant afternoon?"

The China doll almost rolled her eyes at his friendly chatter, but felt warm enough to humour him with some sort of response.

"Yes, Fujisaki," she spoke wearily, feeling rather displeased as he came to the top of the flight of stairs, therefore suddenly becoming much taller than herself. She loathed the way she was forced to crane her neck just to look him in the eye and, much more, the way he found some sort of strange amusement from it; the way he would always be sure to bend down as if to exaggerate the distance between their heights.

But strangely there was no teasing today, no jokes at her expense or any behaviour that she would deem 'funny' from the man. He merely asked about the whereabouts of the Princess' guest room and – if possible – would she show him the way for future reference. Despite having asked to accompany her, Nagi found it a huge relief that she instead offered to make her own way to Her Highness' chamber and was quick to turn back and swiftly make his way to the hall where the couple and the Commander stood awaiting the pink-haired woman's arrival, assuring them that Amu's maid would return with her momentarily. Yet despite her promise, minutes passed by without an appearance from the Princess.

And it wasn't until the maid herself ran in; face flushed, panting and panic written all over her dainty face, that they realised that something was definitely, terribly wrong.

_"Her Highness is missing!"_

~.~.~


	5. Five

~.~.~

"Missing?"

Both the heiress' parents and Tadase exchanged brief glances in reaction to their perfectly timed responses, but all too quickly abandoned it and began to question the flustered maid who appeared to be so out of breath that it was a wonder that she was not already passed out cold on the tiles. She hurriedly brushed a few golden curls from her cheeks and repeated her former statement, her voice slightly calmer now she had had a moment to recover from her sprint into the hall, yet still she appeared choked and panicked as she added; "Princess Hinamori is not in her room, Your Majesties!"

Midori's expression mirrored Rima's as she stepped closer towards her husband and took his hand, drawing his attention towards her and murmuring in a thick voice; "Dear…"

The King could not react to her voice, however, as he narrowed his eyes at the maid. She squirmed a little under his gaze, but the fresh beads of sweat and the sudden flush of his cheeks told her quickly that he was more a bundle of nerves than angered. His blood pumped furiously as his daughter appeared in his mind – even more so when his wild imagination depicted all the terrible, unspeakable, disastrous things that could possibly ever happen to her. Tsumugu's mouth opened, but Tadase was the first to speak.

"Do we know for sure that she isn't in any other part of the building?" He inquired in a forcibly serious tone that in no way, shape or form accurately represented the pure shock and concern he felt inside. "Her chamber was the only place you searched for her, was it not?"

But the maid shook her head and with that one gesture that seemed to tug at all the hearts and hopes of those present it was made painfully obvious that this possibility was not possible.

"Dear," The Queen once more tugged at Tsumugu's hand and he looked her in the eye. It was strange to witness the following silent conversation between the two. It was purely comprised of nods, shakes, shrugs and other bodily gestures of which they had mastered to a fine art and the others were so in awe of this method of communication that their answer was delayed when the King finally broke eye contact with his wife and asked loud and clear;

"We are perfectly sure that my daughter is certainly not in this mansion?"

Rima repeated her earlier gesture and a short, uneasy silence ensued.

A finger on his chin in thought, Tadase, once more the man with the ideas, looked over and eyed the maid who swallowed subconsciously with anticipation. "What time was the Princess due to arrive here last night?"

Rima, for the third time that eventful morning, shook her head. "It should have been quite late, but I am unsure, Commander." She replied simply and that was all she could have possibly said on the matter. She was a simple maid. She was not aware of such precise details, though there wasn't a chance that she could have informed him of this without appearing petulant and out of line. Rima was sure he was already aware of this though, for the expression that flashed across his face – however brief a moment it was present – was one of disappointment and a number of others that she failed to place a finger on. They spelled hopelessness and let-down and it was as if he had been clutching at straws with his previous question and was now watching as they were roughly yanked away from his grasp – all in all a fruitless effort with which he prayed for an easy solution.

Letting out an audible breath that had the attention of everyone in the hall and idly tapping his silver staff on the marble in an impatient manner, Tadase did not make eye contact or utter a single word to any of his company until he had gathered his thoughts.

"Well then, this appears to be a relatively simple matter." He began after a minute or so. "All that needs to be done here – if you don't mind me saying so, Your Majesty – is for someone to arrange contact with those at the Palace and determine whether or not Her Highness has even set off at all. It's entirely possible to presume that she has perhaps left early this morning rather than late yesterday afternoon." And he went so far as to let out a small chuckle. "In fact, I wouldn't blame her! It would save Her Highness a long, dull trip through the night. In all honesty I am surprised she would take the trip by night – the roads can be hazardous in the dark hours and I wouldn't wish your daughter to be put into harm's way."

There was a nod of approval amongst the Royals and even Nagihiko who was quick to take Tadase's suggestion on-board, being rightfully concerned for the wellbeing of his childhood friend. For a few moments there were somewhat relieved exclamations throughout the small group of three (the servants on the other hand were not daring enough to join in the light-hearted chatter) about how ridiculously panicked they had started to behave and about how quickly they had jumped to the wildest of conclusions.

Eventually Tsumugu retracted his hand from his wife's and made for Tadase to exit the grand hall with him. They paused by the archway on the opposite side of the room as the King turned back to those left behind and said sternly; "Have contact made with the Palace. I wish to know at what time my daughter made her way here."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

~.~.~

The news was not what either of the Princess' parents would have ever wished to hear. As obvious as this could ever have been, Tsumugu still felt the need to convey his upset as he slammed a fist down upon the desk with such force that the teacup to his right was sent tumbling to the carpet. The tea would stain the rug terribly and it would take some hours for the servants to scrub the worst of the damage out, but at that point the spilled liquid was of nobody's greatest concerns.

"What do you mean that she left the Palace last night?" he growled, his ire increasingly being fuelled by his fatherly instincts which were currently screaming and thrashing about in horror. The very notion that his – _his_ – daughter had disappeared from the face of the Earth was enough to send his normally tranquil demeanour crumbling to the ground. He abruptly rose from his chair, beginning to subconsciously pace the drawing room as his true anxiety began to take over.

"I mean…" he began, now suddenly at a loss for words. "I… I…"

From his position in the armchair by the window, Tadase was quick to attempt to put his King at ease – if not for the man himself, but for the poor fellow who had been given the task of breaking the news and was currently stood in the doorway; face pale and visibly startled. "Your Majesty," he said, his speech rather rapid just in case Tsumugu were to try and cut him off in his emotional state. "This may simply-"

"_Why in God's name was I not informed that my daughter had not arrived?"_

In fear of a second explosion the Commander sunk back into the seat of his chair like a tortoise retracting back into its shell.

On the far side of the room there was a choking sound and all heads turned to see the Queen who cupped her mouth with a hand and sniffed, allowing fresh tears at least to stain her powdered cheeks. "Oh, in the name of the Lord…." Was all she could manage before her frantic voice broke and she was forced to make no noise louder than a muffled whimper. She could not even properly thank her maid when the silent woman stepped in to try and comfort the woman.

Although the woman was visibly distressed and though it pained the hearts of those around to watch a loving mother's anguish over the disappearance of her daughter, it did well to calm the King whose temper was dulled considerably once seeing the state of his wife. He began to slowly pace towards her, but he did not sit and instead of settling by her side he simply extended a hand for her to take. She did within a second and he placed it against her dampened skin in an act considered both of comfort and affection.

Now over his sudden outburst, Tsumugu took in a breath of air and lowered his tone to a gentle, soft whisper in the hopes that his wife would settle. "Wherever Amu may be, we can look for her." He stated. "We shall find out what has happened." He said, firmer. "And she'll be okay."

She nodded despite realising that his words were uncertain and his tone fake, working to console himself more than others. Tadase had also appeared to have noticed as at that moment he spoke up, catching her attention and attempted to reassure his Queen himself.

"Your Majesty," he began, rising from his seat and taking a step towards them. He stopped soon after, looking wary as if he were too cautious to invade on their personal space. "I'm perfectly sure that your daughter is well." He prayed his assurance would not sound as false as the King's. "Amu is a very sensible young woman and she is entirely capable of looking after herself. I'm sure no harm will have come to her and of course it could still be possible that there was a change of plan for some reason. Perhaps the journey took longer than expected. Perhaps she was forced to stop for the night and continue on in the morning."

Again, Midori nodded and wiped a tear from her eye, looking far more confident than she felt.

Before anything else could be said to calm Her Majesty, Tsumugu broke away from her hold and faced one of the guards who stood outside the open doors. "Guards, I want my wife escorted to our chamber whilst- Tadase!"

The Commander did not pause in his march until he reached the doorway at which point he turned back and stared his King in the eye – a gesture that had the older man silent, somewhat curious to hear whatever he had to say. "Your Majesty," he said, his voice hard and stern. "I think it appropriate to warn you that I intend to be fully involved in this matter and don't intend to rest today until I find out exactly what has happened." He stopped for but a second. "I shall have every guard, every officer, every official in this town on hand to help within the hour." And with a firm tap of his staff upon the floor his words were final.

~.~.~

It was as the news of Princess Amu's disappearance began to sweep across the nation that the clumsy parrot made it back to the frigate that bobbed gently atop the peaceful waves. The silence that had held the cabin in an uncomfortable grasp was abruptly shattered as the bird's scrabbling and fluttering reached the ears of the Captain. A wry smirk played upon his dry lips and he rose from his chair to watch as it effortlessly swopped away from the stern window, sending small emerald feathers to the grimy floorboards. He glared at the bird as it settled itself atop a pile of parchment on his desk, but eventually just sighed and latched the window shut once more before going to take his seat.

"Quite the short journey, bird," he murmured to the creature which merely squawked and hopped up to perch on his forearm. "That must mean word has begun to spread."

Another squawk sounded from the parrot's beak, as if it wished to speak to the man who now directed his attention to the bird's leg to which there was a small scroll bound securely with a piece of wire. Captain Ichinomiya was surprisingly gentle as he removed the scroll, abandoning the wires somewhere on the desk rather than leaving them to cause the creature any discomfort, and he even went so far as to ruffle it's feathers as a reward for its service.

There was quiet once more as Kauzomi slowly, carefully unfurled the scroll in anticipation.

"Hmm…" He hummed lowly to himself as he scanned the writing, shifting his arm when the parrot decided to rest upon his shoulder. "So the search party for our little Princess has started…" He murmured. "And in less than a day too. Very impressive."

He silently read the note once more before carelessly abandoning it onto his desk where countless other lay discarded and relaxing in his chair.

"It's truly a fortunate thing that nobody would suspect us for her kidnapping." Kazuomi continued, the cruel smirk evident in his tone. It sounded like triumph and evil deeds that were yet to come; something devious, despicable and to anyone who were present to witness his cunning expression an ominous shroud of darkness seemed to cover him like a cloak. "She's vital." He whispered, sounding like the maddest of men that had ever walked the Earth. Then he looked up, features darkening more so under his hat, and gave a twisted, malevolent grin to the man on the other side of the room. "Eh, Ikuto?"

From his position by the door Ikuto said nothing – partly because the Captain's disturbing behaviour had shaken his very soul into silence and partly because there was nothing to say. No matter what the reasons though, Kazuomi sighed heavily and narrowed his eyes at his stubborn son, knowing full well that the man could hear his every word and, whilst it may have maddened him to witness such insolence, he continued on still.

"We'll have to keep an eye on her," he began, watching his son's every move with eyes like those of a stealthy predator, "make sure she doesn't try anything funny. You'll be in charge of that, right, Ikuto?" Silence. "Make sure she doesn't do anything foolish." More silence. "Keep a close eye on her. Just… Not too close. We wouldn't want anything too unfortunate to happen, would we now? Especially when we know we are to keep our distance…"

It was like music to Kazuomi's ears to hear some recognition when Ikuto finally spoke; "No. Of course not, Captain." His voice was monotone – flat and dead of feeling – despite the fact that his insides were curling at the belittling way his Captain addressed him; as if he were a child being told to stay away from the heat of the fire. Unwilling to remain in the cabin any longer and wishing for a breath of fresh air to calm his unsettled nerves, he turned to leave, making the excuse that he had to return to his duties when Kazuomi's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Ikuto."

There was quiet as the pirate waited for Kazuomi to continue, yet when he did, Ikuto's blood began to boil.

"You shall address me as your father." – Ikuto visibly twitched – "When we are alone," the Captain said seriously, clearly so as to let the words sink deep into his skin; "you shall address me as is appropriate. The fact is that I _am _your father."

The reply sounded strangled, but clear. "Yes, father."

Ikuto exited the cabin without allowing the older man further opportunity to anger him. He allowed the door to slam shut with a force that rattled the walls and grit his teeth as the aggression washed over him, consuming his senses 'til he saw red and until his mind screamed at him to turn back and give his 'father' just what he truly deserved.

'_Because you're not my father!'_

The thought whirled round and round his brain until he began to feel dizzy and disorientated. He clenched his fists, cursing the Captain of the ship who sat at his desk just through the door behind him. He leaned against it, his head beginning to feel light and faint and his body breaking out into shakes that he could barely contain. He had no idea how much longer he could take the Captain's torment.

"You… Are not my father... I don't know what you did to him… But you were never my father and you never shall be…"

Suddenly very sick of being in close proximity to the man behind the door, Ikuto quickly rose, backing away from it as though it were deadly, and began to head for the deck, aiming to cool his head in the fresh air of the ocean when a sudden, near silent sound of sniffling had him frozen on the spot. The flames of his silent rage immediately dying down, his hands unclenched and fell limply by his sides as he stepped towards the door to his left – opposite Amu's cabin.

He knew who was in this room… And it hurt him to think about it.

He found himself taking small, tentative steps towards the cabin from which inside the woman continued to cry and Ikuto's heart clenched painfully inside his chest at the grim reminder that this wasn't uncommon at all.

What had he done this time to make her cry? What had the Captain done this time? What fact about her miserable life had he reminded her of? What threats had he thrown her way yet again?

Ikuto took a breath and hung his head low, making contact with the door as he weakly leaned against it, eyes closed and breathing loud as he tried to maintain his composure. He felt so utterly helpless, so guilty, so distressed. Not a day went by when he didn't wish he could help her; set her free; do anything to save her from this miserable nightmare even if he himself wouldn't be allowed to walk the Earth free ever again.

No… There was no chance of that. He was already stuck here. He would be forced to stay on this pirate ship for the remainder of his life, but if he could at least give her freedom; if he could give her the life she deserved and wanted, safe and far away from the Captain's clutches then that would be enough for him. That was all he needed. Because she didn't deserve this.

'_Father would not have settles for this.'_ he mused and glanced back briefly towards the Captain's cabin and seethed. _'__You never shall be…'_

~.~.~

The Princess had failed to move from her position on the bed for the rest of that day. The time had dragged slowly. Amu had never fully realised just how excruciatingly slowly a single day could take to pass. It occurred to her that this had not even been more than _half _a day and the thought filled her with a dreaded anxiety. Just how would she be able to cope day in and day out if she was doomed to remain in her cabin? The silence; the emptiness; the awfully slow rocking of the ship which lately had begun to torment her with its side-to-side motion that always seemed to want to take its own leisurely time… It all drove her mad. She huffed and was tempted to tear out her own hair. Surely she was already walking down the path to insanity if something so simple as the movement of the frigate made her want to scream and cry out in outrage. But still… It was slower than the ticking of a clock! It was a counter that put her back two seconds and made her stay on the Shining Black seem far lengthier than it had actually been.

So Amu was almost glad when she heard the click that signalled the end to her solitary confinement and by the time the sliding of the latch reached her ears she had fully sat up on the side of the bed and was eagerly leaning forwards in the hopes to meet her visitor perhaps a second or two earlier. It seemed to work and at that moment in came the mysterious, blue-haired pirate carrying with him a small plate and a badly-crafted goblet which leaned on its own base and threatened to spill its contents onto the floor. Amu watched in silence as he wordlessly wandered over to the table and placed the items down. He looked at her – actually properly made eye contact – and his dark eyes demanded that she come over and begin with the food that he had brought for her.

Obeying his unspoken order, the Princess slowly rose from her bed and towards the man, yet when she reached her meal she froze and found that she could do no more than stare at the food before her. She blinked once or twice, eyeing the meal sceptically. It consisted of merely half a small loaf of bread and an equally small block of cheese. The goblet which balanced precariously on the edge of the table was nearly full to the brim with cheap, dry-smelling wine.

Ikuto's eyes still bored into her body.

"Eat."

Instead Amu just looked back up at him, mildly offended at the underlying implication that she needed his directions. But even so, she once more turned back to her meal and hesitantly reached out for the half of the cheese that had crumbled onto the side. She warily considered her options. Would it be wise of her to accept food from him – a pirate?

Amu realised that as she was examining what had been brought for her, the expression on her face must have given her away because Ikuto read her like a book and dared to let out a deep chuckle in amusement.

"It wouldn't do you any good to starve yourself, Your Highness." He said simply and that humorous glint in his eyes (though a second later it was nearly completely replaced by a sort of seriousness) made her want to slink away and hide under the covers of the bed. She lightly flushed, cursing herself and blaming her hours of imprisonment in this damned cabin for her near-irrational suspicions. The Captain wanted her alive for something – that much was obvious – so why would he think of poisoning her so soon?

"Thank you." She said meekly as she began to tear chunks from the bread to eat.

Satisfied, it was then that Ikuto also took his leave, but he had only just made it to the door when he once more turned around and said; "Oh, and another thing, Your Highness," he began; "I advise you rest well tonight. The Captain has made his mind up and has assigned you your duty."

Suddenly incredibly interested, Amu paused to listen closely. "Oh? And what would that be?"

The second chuckle that left his throat brought her arms up in nervous goose-bumps.

"You'll be scrubbing the decks tomorrow."

~.~.~

* * *

_(__**A/N**__: Thanks for the follows/faves/etc so far. ^^ and to the anonymous reviewer for chapter 4: The family finding out about her disappearance was supposed to be put there. The two halves of the chapter take place at the same time and at that point it's not even been a full day since Amu is taken. She was supposed to have arrived at Tadase's home early that morning, so they wouldn't have known before that she was missing. Sorry if it was confusing._

_Reminder that feedback is appreciated ^^)_


	6. Six

~.~.~

Amu grimaced, her dainty features crumpling in an ungraceful manner as the lukewarm water ran back down the deck of the ship and back over her hands. Her expression worsened as she felt the itchy, loose grit that she'd been working to remove wash back over her fingers. It was all so undignified, so filthy that at first it had made her want to retch.

Her naturally soft skin was gradually growing sore and red as her palms rubbed against the wooden scrubbing brush she was using. It had probably been used thousands of times already – most likely since the vessel had first set sail – and the back was unusually smooth with wear, but the sides on the other hand were rugged with deep grooves and splinters and so Amu's fingertips and palms were rubbed raw with the repetitive back and forth brushing movements as she went about her work. She winced as yet another drenched and therefore dull and ineffective splinter rubbed painfully against the side of her hand. She took a moment to scratch the affected area before plunging the brush back into the bucket of water beside her and continuing to scrub away at the wooden boards on the deck. She sighed wearily as she let the water slosh over the surface and began to watch the crew go about whatever jobs they had on board until one of them yelled at her to get back to work at which point she quickly looked away and continued without fuss. Grumbling in a way that her tutors would have strongly reprimanded her for; she glared at a plank of wood and focused all her irritation into harshly scouring at it. It was an effective technique, she found. Though her aching back was hunched and creaked like a rickety rocking chair with every movement and her knees were painfully sore, the work was over and done with at a much quicker pace. The dried dirt on the plank's surface was removed quickly and was swiftly taken away by the water as it moved through the grooves in the floor. Job done, Amu moved to another wooden plank and, as she did before, aggressively scrubbed it, hoping that with the work done sooner she may be allowed a moment of well-earned rest. In her opinion, rest was something she was largely entitled to at that moment. She needed a break; a chance to let off some of her pent-up annoyance. Personally, she believed that she had every right to be irritated – even forgetting the whole 'being-on-a-pirate-ship' situation.

To begin with, the Princess had been rather rudely woken up at some God forsaken hour – the sun had not even begun to rise and yet there she had been, hauling herself from the warmth of her covers – and had then found that the wake-up call had been quite unnecessary as she had then been expected to sit around uselessly for perhaps a couple of hours or so whilst she waited for someone to see to her. Her night had been horribly long, lonely and she had found it incredibly hard to settle, so had barely managed to get a decent night's sleep. Had exhaustion not sent her off, she would have probably remained awake until morning.

But anyway, that Ikuto had banged loudly on her door before waltzing in – _without permission _– at the crack of dawn. Amu would have perhaps been less angered had she not been halfway through dressing _or _had he not decided to give her a long look over instead of apologising and leaving her be.

But of course not.

After almost diving back into bed to hide beneath the security of her covers, face ablaze with crimson and frantically covering her body with her clothing, and after asking him what on Earth he was doing he'd casually informed her that her work on the ship started that day and ordered her to get dressed before he brought her some food. She'd glared at the door even after he had left, getting into her clothes as quickly as she could in case he decided on coming back and seeing more than he should.

_'The vile man…_'

Honestly! Did he think he could just enter a lady's room like that without properly asking? Especially when she's in her undergarments as well! Who did he think he was? Granted, perhaps he was not as well accustomed to matters such as general _decency _as her, but nevertheless he could not be blind to it!

But no, she had then felt plain miserable – guilty even after having made such accusations about the man. Ikuto had actually knocked upon his return and though he didn't actually wait for a response (she had to remind herself that she _was _among rogues) she had to give some sort of credit to him. He brought her food and even told her that she could take her time as her duty would not start for some time. And so she sat and ate in silence, still feeling a little humiliated knowing that Ikuto had seen her in ways that were quite inappropriate, but also feeling what appeared to be regret gnawing away at her. Perhaps she was a little too hot-headed that morning. She may have apologised for making harsh assumptions about the pirate, but then again she had not actually voiced her opinions directly to him and besides, she was beginning to feel a little confused as to why he had bothered to knock his second time. Were pirates not also lecherous and vile?

'_Honestly,' _Amu thought to herself, wanting nothing more than to be left by herself like the previous day. At least she would not be out here in the blistering heat and aching from head to toe as she was forced to settle on the solid wood of the deck. She would have been a little less uncomfortable if the water was cooler and refreshing instead of the disgusting temperature that covered her hands and soaked her dress through to her stockings.

'_Come on now,' _she told herself sternly, feeling the hard-working, self-determined streaks that would make her a strong leader kick in; _'what were you expecting? You're not in the Palace anymore.'_

Amu kept telling herself this in her head as she cleaned, repeating it over and over until the words became nothing but a jumbled, confusing blur that had her shaking her pink head in an attempt to correct them. Sighing in exasperation, she paused for a second to readjust that bothersome cloak around her shoulders. Yes, she still needed it on. It was awfully warm and it restricted her movements, but whenever she felt like tearing it off and throwing it overboard she had to quickly remind herself that it was a necessary item if she still wanted to keep her Lock hidden. Amu had no intention of removing her precious trinket and besides, where could she hide it? She didn't feel the least bit comfortable in leaving it behind in her cabin, knowing for sure that at least one greedy corsair wouldn't mind going in and seeing if there was anything for him that was worth taking.

'_But Ikuto is the only one who has the keys,' _Amu reminded herself. _'Would he do a thing like that?' _After a few moments of thought, during which she found her cleaning had slowed considerably, she shook her head fiercely. _'No. He was the one who told me to keep it hidden in the first place.'_

It wasn't long until Amu found herself debating this issue inside her head, but she unfortunately was abruptly brought back to reality by a loud clunking beside her and she jumped, startled, as the bucket of water to her left began to tilt onto its side. She wouldn't have had time to try and catch the container even if she'd thought to because at the last minute it was skilfully caught by a member of the crew who in a flash set it back upright with not a single drop missing.

He breathed out a sigh of relief whilst Amu took a calming breath. "I'd better be more careful next time…" he said quietly to no one in particular, running a hand through his reddish-brown hair.

Amu looked at him with interest as he remained knelt beside the bucket, a hand pressed to its side as if it would tip over at any minute. Soon though, he let out a breath and picked up a brush of his own before getting back to his own work, something that piqued her curiosity even more so. He hadn't even acknowledged her presence so far, unusual considering that the entire crew was fully aware of her situation. The pirate was clearly young and it showed in the enthusiastic, vigorous manner with which he worked to remove the filth from the deck of the Shining Black, the muscles of his strong, tanned arms bulging with the effort. The work was tiring, repetitive and possibly the dreariest task Amu had ever been set in her life and yet there this man was giving it all he had whereas _she _had been exhausted within the first hour. He was most likely used to it by now, but still it was something that caused the heiress to gaze at him with much admiration.

It was then as she gave him said look of admiration that he paused in his labour and looked over at her. Amu felt herself flush, mortified at being caught staring so rudely, and opened her mouth ready to profoundly apologise for her behaviour, but as the words were about to leave her mouth the pirate, instead of glaring at her or snapping some sort of irritated remark, shot the Princess a massive grin, leaving her speechless. It may have been his reaction that had her gaping or possibly the strange sense of comfort that she felt from his gesture. In a way she was reminded of her friend Nagihiko, someone whose smile always felt warm and genuine, always reached his hazel eyes and made her feel like she was somewhere safe. It wasn't possible for her to put into words how soothing Nagi's reassurance would have been to her at that moment, but she was positive that when this pirate gave her such a beam it had the exact same effect.

"Hey!" he didn't hesitate to greet her in a tone that was uplifting and friendly. Amu felt relieved. He appeared to be a pleasant individual so far and there was nothing to suggest he was dangerous and so as far as she was concerned there wasn't anything to worry about with him. _Yet_. With such a display of welcoming, Amu felt that to ignore the man would be incredibly rude and so, though it came out sounding rather timid, she managed to give a greeting of her own.

"H-Hello."

"I'm Kukai!" he introduced himself in a loud, cheerful voice. "And this here's my buddy, Daichi!" A small laugh escaped her lips when he pointed over his shoulder to the green and yellow parrot perched on the top of the bulwark. Kukai chuckled at her reaction, the sun reflecting in his olive green eyes, making them glow brighter than they already did.

Glancing over at the bird, she calmed her laughter and, unsure of what to say, asked with amusement in her voice; "You named your parrot?"

He shrugged. "Well," Kukai began casually, drawing out the word for a couple seconds; "I was the one that found him, so I s'pose I get the privilege. 'Sides, he's got to have a name, right?"

Though she grew confused as to why he was being so openly friendly with her, she still continued to talk and nodded in agreement. It was refreshing to have contact with someone so lively and there was no reason for her to turn around and block him out. "Well, I suppose so."

"See?" he spoke again, beginning to lean back on his hands. "I found him on a tropical island somewhere in the southern seas... or something... and he wouldn't leave me alone. Tried to sneak him on board, but the Captain said I needed a way to make him useful if I wanted to keep him."

At this Amu tilted her head and turned her gaze back to Daichi who was busy cleaning his feathers.

"Little guy's great for all that communication shit the Captain's so interested about." He continued, seemingly unaware of his own words and Amu's eyes widened a fraction. Was he supposed to be telling her this? But he let out a bark of laughter and just continued, his fondness for the bird clearly outweighing all else. "He loves it! Gets to go back on land, after all. He'll just go out there, find a place to crash for a few days and eventually one of the Captain's on-shore folks'll-ACK!" Kukai stopped mid-sentence and started to choke on his own words, unintentionally making Amu jump. She watched, heart racing at the thought of the trouble the two could find themselves caught up in if he had continued to spill the Shining Black's secrets. He coughed and talked again in a much more panicked tone, face now red from his spluttering. "Woah! Ah, I'm sorry! I-I _really _shouldn't be telling you that! Uh, look, you didn't hear anything, okay?" he rubbed the back of his head and strained a smile, though it was clear that inside he was most likely a terrified mess at the thought of her ratting him out.

Meanwhile, Amu was at a loss for how to react. The two of them were not old friends or even acquaintances – she was his Captain's _prisoner _and yet here he was casually chatting to her about Daichi's role on the ship. Was his tongue that loose? Was he truly so absent minded that he didn't even realise he was giving what was potentially some of the ship's most important information to his Captain's hostage?

But eventually she decided it best to overlook this small incident and she slowly nodded. "I never heard a word." Was her confident reply.

Relieved, Kukai put a hand on his chest and breathed as if he had not taken a lungful of air for years. "Thank you," he said, sounding honestly grateful, "If the Captain found out about that… well I'd be facing the plank, or worse…" he shuddered, afraid of Captain Kazuomi's wrath and picked up his brush to start cleaning again, only this time with less energy as his mind wandered, most probably counting all the horrifying ways he'd be punished by the Captain if he got into trouble. He appeared to be in such a trance that the woman made a move to begin on her work once again, but she heard him mutter quietly; "Dear Lord, my tongue gets any looser 'n Captain'll cut it off…"

Amu sighed wearily. "I can believe that."

Kukai chuckled without mirth. "Yeah, yeah he'll cut it up all right – cut anyone up if he wants." And the he stopped and hummed with interest. "Ooh, yeah, so _you're _Miss Hinamori. Bet he's put the gun on you already, Hina–" (and he choked a second time) "–_U-uh! _If I can call you that..?" he asked. His hand once more found the back of his head. It must have been a nervous habit or something.

Amu half-heartedly shrugged her shoulders and slowly ran the brush over the deck as she answered. "Don't worry about it." She reassured him in the kindest tone she could manage, feeling the need to treat him as warmly as he had treated her. "I don't need to be treated like royalty. I'm really a different person on this ship; otherwise I wouldn't have been put to work cleaning the floors."

Kukai hummed again in response as he contemplated her reply. Then that friendly grin appeared on his face once more. "Well you're more important than _me _that's for sure!" he said, pointing a thumb towards himself in a way so oddly positive that it had Amu raising her eyebrow in confusion. "Ever since I've been here I've never moved very high up the pecking order. Most of the men here are older than me, so they've always seen me as just a young'un compared to them."

"Oh…" Amu murmured. "So…" she began, unsure of whether she should be asking any questions about the crew members. Kazuomi's rules from the day before rang in her ears. Despite this, she paid no attention to them. _'What that man doesn't know won't hurt him,' _she thought, however maybe against her better judgement.

"So how long have you been on this ship?" she finished her question and hoped she wasn't pushing her luck. She didn't plan on letting Captain Kazuomi know that she was socialising with his crew, but still decided to tread carefully just in case.

The pirate next to her thought for a moment. "Well, I couldn't say how many years have gone by. I don't remember that well… but I've been here since I was a child. I must have been really little too." A tiny ghost of a smile tugged at his lips. "I was kind of at the wrong place at the wrong time… Came across the Captain and saw one of his gang's raids. He didn't hesitate to bring me back with him."

Amu's mouth opened in shock. "T-That's awful!" she exclaimed. To go so far as to take a little boy for _that! _"So you wouldn't have seen your family since you were a boy?"

As hard as she might have tried, Amu could never in a million years imagine having to go through such an experience as a mere child. To her the idea of being forcefully torn from the bonds of her family was something similar to an image of hell. Though sometimes it didn't appear so, the Hinamori family was extremely close and it was only in recent years as she became a young woman that they had started to drift slightly.

"Uh, I never really had anybody important to me at that age," Kukai went on; "though at the very least the Captain gave me a home of sorts. Before this I was living on the streets." He explained.

"O-Oh…" Amu's words came out as barely a whisper as she felt a few heartstrings being tugged by Kukai's story. She couldn't bear the idea having to live on the streets at such a young age and she found it really quite astonishing that he had been able to live like that in the first place.

Above all of that though, the thing that startled her more than anything was how Kukai could talk so nonchalantly about his life. It was as if it were nothing. It was as if he were discussing the weather or the work or something equally as trivial, not at all the fact that he had been a homeless boy who had experienced great struggles with no family, no one to provide for him… He was not awkward about it as he spoke and he did not appear to be out of his comfort zone by any means. He wasn't sad, depressed or even a little dismal and he was even able to go about his work as normally as when he'd started once he'd finished talking.

Kukai at this point laughed and she realised that her previous thoughts must have shown on her face – or at least her confusion must have because he just shrugged and breezily said, "I suppose it's weird in a way that I've never been bothered not knowing my family. Some of the guys on this ship aren't that bad and we all help each other out. They're practically my family now."

"I see." She was once more surprised by his words and she felt the gears in her brain to slowly begin to turn as she considered what he'd said.

_'I didn't know the crew here were this close…'_

_"HEY!"_ a deep, threatening voice shouted from somewhere, causing both of them to jump out of their skin. "GET BACK TO WORK!"

The chatter ceased and the two of them rushed to grab their brushes and frantically began to scrub at the deck, working harder than they'd done before and ignoring the pain in their hands to make up for lost time. But despite this, Amu's mind once more began to drift and she glanced for a brief second at the male beside her. Such an unbelievably happy-go-lucky person – so _uncharacteristic, _so out of place in a setting such as this. But then again this was Kukai and despite having only known him for a few minutes, the heiress already knew for sure a few key things about his personality. He was cheerful. He was full of live and spirit and vigour. He wasn't afraid to greet the newcomer – a member of the Royal Family – like they were an old friend rather than the stranger she really was to him. Kukai had made her feel welcome and he had made her feel like maybe - just _maybe_ \- she would have one person to turn to on this ship. It was ridiculous and absurd she was sure she would be considered stupid beyond belief, but Amu honestly felt like she might have found someone here who could almost be considered a friend. And it made her previously irritable, grumbly mood dissipate into thin air.

"Man," Amu heard Kukai mutter to himself; "so this is what you get for letting Daichi loose down below…"

Hearing the mention of his name, the parrot, Daichi, swiftly swooped down from his spot on the bulwark and began to circle around his owner, trying to find a place on Kukai's body suitable to perch on.

"_Oi!_" the rusty-haired pirate waved an arm at the green bird. Feathers flapped everywhere, flying into the man's face. "_I'm tryin' to work here!"_

She chuckled to herself. Kukai was not anything like she would have imagined a buccaneer to be. In her experience pirates were depicted to be cold blooded, merciless criminals, but not a hint of cold blood ran through his veins and in the short time she had already been aboard the ship, the multiple stereotypes that she knew existed back on land had been quickly and brutally demolished into dust.

To the side, Amu giggled quietly and asked herself the question: _'Is this _really _the Shining Black I've heard about?'_

~.~.~

Tadase looked down lifeless at the body that lay before him. He stared down at the driver of Amu's coach who was sprawled out in the middle of the road. Dead. Dead with a bullet lodged right in the middle of his chest, his clothes now near black with the blood stains from the wound. As awful as it was to admit, it had to be said that whoever had shot this man had an incredible aim.

The blonde-haired man finally turned away from the body with a look of disgust. The sight was finally becoming too much for him and the thick smell of dried blood was starting to make his stomach churn. Unfortunately though there was no escaping the grim sight just yet. The bodies lay in dark crimson puddles that were only just beginning to dry; the smell so strong he couldn't even begin to avoid it and he briefly wondered how the guards here had managed to remain here so long since discovering the coach. They had been here most of the day already. That morning word had reached the Hotori household that the vehicle that was supposed to transport the Princess from the Palace had been found abandoned on the grassy slopes just outside of town. When Tadase had heard he had left the Hotori mansion without hesitation and since then all he could think of was of Amu.

_'Amu. Amu. Amu.'_

He had never expected an occurrence such as this so soon. He had never expected the coach to actually be recovered and – if it was, which indeed it had been – he never would have thought that it would be so close to the border of their little town.

Moving on from the dead man, the Commander walked closer to the coach. He moved carefully around the other bodies; the two horses that had been pulling the vehicle, and swatted away the flies buzzing around his face that had been attracted to the unpleasant scene. He came round to the side of the coach that stood a little away from everything else and narrowed his eyes, inspecting it carefully. The side door was open and the coach was empty.

By now it had been made perfectly obvious to him that the Princess had not run off of her own accord and, though he had been considering it earlier, he was now confident enough to quickly dismiss the thought. Suddenly feeling very angry with himself, he shook his head as if to wipe out the thought. Why on Earth would Amu want to do that? Why would Amu willingly abandon her life and her responsibilities for nothing? No, she wouldn't do that and now he had something to prove it.

Tadase frowned and made a noise of frustration, remembering that he still had to find out who was behind this treacherous act towards Her Highness and ultimately the Crown itself. It would be an incredible understatement for him to state that finding the perpetrator wouldn't be an easy task when he considered that he had almost nothing to aid him in his search. He had not a single lead or clue and not nearly enough information to at least attempt to make an educated guess. All he had was a missing Princess, a few dead bodies and an empty coach and for a moment he felt absolutely useless. He felt weak and broken at the thought of Amu just disappearing from his life. It was like something had been torn from his very being, like something within him had been irreparably shattered, never to feel right again. What if he never saw her again? What if he lost her? What if he was forced to live a life without her? Such a life – a cold, cruel life – would not be worth it because he _did _love her. Ever since the two had played together as children in his family home he had felt something special towards her. Since he had grown – and her seemingly more so – whatever strange emotion he had felt had grown and grown into something that he could only describe as painful. Painful because of its strength, painful because of its need to be fulfilled and painful because whenever she was not there he felt a little more empty with every passing day.

Painful, yet beautiful and miraculous and completely exhilarating. He could not bear to lose the source of his strength. He could not bear to think of facing such a life.

But as soon as these hopeless thoughts arrived they were replaced by a sudden burst of fiery determination as he realised that he absolutely could not think like that. He would not allow her to be taken away or harmed. He would not allow himself to not find her. Any feelings that made him want to give up; to break down had to be thrown away. Tadase had to be strong. He had to stay strong and determined and motivated to find her safe and sound and to help her make it through. After all, he was her fiancé and he had vowed even before his wedding day to keep her safe, to keep her happy and he would vow all the more to cherish her no matter what. And so Tadase closed his eyes and began to mentally rummage through what little knowledge he had of this event because there _had_ to be something. Even if there wasn't any evidence at the scene to aid him any idea was a potential lead. If it came to the worst, at least he could come up with a plausible idea or a theory behind the whole ordeal and then build on it until he eventually hit a goldmine of sorts. With so little here anything was valuable at this point.

Then he had a thought. Was there a chance that whoever was responsible knew that Amu would be arriving in town that night? When he went into this idea, it seemed highly possible. But in the end it was still just an idea. A theory with no proof and he still had nothing to go on. He didn't see how he was going to get any more clues on Amu's mysterious vanishing act here.

And a vanishing act it truly was. Looking around he saw no sign of a struggle, no sign of any sort of fight. There was no damage to the coach itself besides the shattered lamp a few metres away and even that could be easily explained. There were deep grooves in the road and even deeper horseshoe tracks, indicating to the Commander that there had been an increase in the speed of the coach. The grooves were almost randomly drawn out in the dirt as if the horses driving the vehicle had lost all sense of direction and considering that at some point there had been multiple gunshots, he suspected that the animals had become spooked and had bolted, therefore the falling of the lamp – which had been loosely hooked onto the side of the coach – was inevitable. But still there was little disorder inside the vehicle – no rips in the seating; no footprints or breaks in the glass windows; and no damage to the door of the coach itself. There was no material scattered about the road which could have possibly been torn from a person's clothing and, similarly, none of Amu's jewellery to be seen.

Tadase began to pace around the coach, deep in his own deductive thoughts. With no struggle having taken place, it was beginning to seem highly plausible that the kidnapping had not merely been a coincidental encounter. Travelling thieves and bandits were known to leave quite a mess after one of their heists purely because they came across most of their victims by chance, so to Tadase it appeared as though whoever had taken his future bride had done it with the knowledge that she was somewhere nearby. The crime was clearly conducted with much planning and precision under the darkness of nightfall. The more he looked at his new theory the more he began to believe it.

"Commander?" Nagihiko appeared beside him, having been assigned by the King himself to assist Tadase in the search. He stood to his left, watching as the Commander inspected the sight before him carefully.

"They knew she was coming."

Taken aback at such a fast conclusion, Nagihiko could only blink and reply dumbly with, "T-They did?"

Tadase nodded, the serious expression still plastered on his face. With one last glance at the interior of the abandoned coach, he stepped back and began marching down the road towards his own waiting vehicle at the bottom of the slope.

"Excuse me? Commander?" Nagihiko called after him, at a loss for words at the man's sudden departure. "Where are you going?"

"To speak with His Majesty." he replied simply and with a tone of authority that had Nagi's mouth closed firmly shut. He slammed the coach door behind him and leaned out though the space of the window to answer the guard's question. "Whoever took Her Highness knew she was travelling here last night. I must notify the King and find out who could have possibly known about her plans."

And with those final words on the matter Tadase's coach pulled away, leaving Nagi stood in the road to make his own way back.

~.~.~

* * *

**Bulwark**: The ship's sides.


	7. Seven

~.~.~

In all of his years aboard the Shining Black, it had to be said that nothing quite like this had ever occurred. Ikuto had never supposed that the Captain, with all his talk of anonymity and with all the drastic measures he had taken in the past to ensure their secrecy, would have actually taken a step so large. Never had he believed that Kazuomi would have actually been daring enough to snatch away His Royal Majesty's daughter, but there they were. And there she was down there, still attending to her duty, scrubbing out the stubborn spots of grime that latched themselves onto the planks. It was hard to believe that she had royal blood flowing throughout her veins. It was incredibly difficult to believe that that mere servant down there had descended from the finest Royal Family who had ruled the country for centuries.

Ikuto watched the young woman with intrigue. He'd been doing so for a little while now, finding himself a spot on the poop deck and simply observing her actions from afar. He'd noticed that during the course of the working day, she had slowed in her cleaning significantly and had seemed to lose her enthusiasm to get the job done as quickly as she could and so she now sluggishly dragged her scrubbing brush over the deck, barely lifting even a spot of dirt. Ikuto lightly sighed.

"She worked herself too hard."

A shake of the head followed as he watched one particularly large buccaneer snap at the heiress to work faster. She forced herself to comply.

Really, Ikuto thought, who would be foolish enough to kidnap the Princess of Seiyo, let alone put her to work on such trivial chores? He had thought perhaps that Kazuomi would have simply locked her away in her cabin and allowed her to be driven into insanity (God knows how _he _hadn't lost his sanity those first few months) or that maybe he would have tried to accomplish his goal quickly, not begin to drag the entire situation out far longer than needed.

But just how long would this continue for?

He supposed he pitied her, though admittedly in a very slight way. He realised that perhaps he merely felt like she was too… unfortunate to have been dragged into this secret, wild goose chase. He once more took in her pink hair, her milky skin, her sunny eyes that were all so fit for a member of Royalty and inside he felt some sort of horrible torment that could only grow and grow once he considered the numerous and unspeakable things his Captain might do to the poor girl in an effort to complete his goals. Ikuto could see as clear as day that Her Highness was beautiful. It was almost painful to know his Captain wanted to taint that beauty; wanted to just use her for his own personal gain and throw her away once he was satisfied. Kazuomi's selfish cause had brought such trouble already. Once he finally confronted her, she, like every other poor soul aboard the Shining Black, was unlikely to find a way out.

Amu's relieved voice just about reached his ears and he looked over to find her thanking to the pirate who had just allowed her a short break. Ikuto took in the wearied smile on her face as she walked with a new spring in her step towards the quarterdeck.

He wondered for how much longer she would be able to smile like that.

~.~.~

The midday sun was already high above the coastal town when the majestic coach passed by the docks. It charged through the little side streets, taking the more direct route to the scene of the latest crime, its rich colours and gleaming royal markings a striking contrast against the crumbling bricks and dull hues of the poorer parts of town. People were evidently surprised to witness such an upper-class vehicle and hurriedly gave way, moving their children and their carts full of goods out of its path as it wound its way around the stalls of the small market up ahead. An ageing stray cat jumped out from somewhere in the middle of the road, narrowly avoiding a collision under the wheels, and leapt up onto a pile of crates outside an old bakery and simply sat there, watching as the coach passed by. Eventually coming to a stop outside along the waterfront, the driver was quick to allow his passenger out. Tadase emerged from the vehicle and cast his eyes across the waters, the ruby red of his eyes shining brightly under the glare. If the man had had to describe the scene before him in one word, the first thing to come to mind would have been 'unsuspicious'. Until he looked harder, of course.

The townspeople went about their daily business behind him, meandering about the waterside market and browsing through the stalls and the little shops as if they had all the time in the world in which to do whatever they pleased, yet despite the calm and pleasant scene, Tadase could not help but cast a frown in the locals' direction. Far _too _calm. Far _too _pleasant. It was as though a veil had been cast over the streets – a veil with which to cover up the far more unpleasant occurrences; to lull the people into a false sense of security. It was like sweeping the dust under the rug before the guests arrived; burning incense to cloak unpleasant smells or even simply pushing unwanted thoughts into the back of one's mind. It was deceptive. For example, that pot of sunflowers stationed outside the baker's window concealed the broken glass; that stack of crates blocked the entrance to an empty establishment – once booming with business only to be locked up during the busiest hours; and behind him those who unloaded their foreign goods from ships at the quay worked in a rather peculiar manner, scurrying up and down like frightened mice, heads hung low and fearful whispers cutting through the tense air. A woman walking past dropped a basket of vegetables and one of them jumped so fiercely that he almost stumbled back into the longboat bobbing beside him.

Unlike the locals, Tadase saw it all.

And then he let out a sigh – a long, heavy exhale – and looked around once more and was glad to see a second coach heading in his direction. He straightened up and watched it roll to a halt.

"Good afternoon, Commander." Nagihiko was once again away from the King's side to assist Tadase in their search for the Princess. "I hope you have not waited long."

Tadase was silent as the man wandered over, waiting until he paused to respond. "Not at all… Mr Fujisaksi." Truthfully he was quite unsure of how to properly address the man. Before he had only ever needed to address a man of Nagi's position as simply 'Guard', but, now that he was working alongside him, he'd realised that this was perhaps rather too brusque.

"Lively day, Commander." Nagihiko commented, ever the optimist and nodding in the direction of the locals, several of whom had come to a pause just to stare at the two expensive coaches.

"Indeed." Tadase replied, half annoyed by such casual chat during such an important investigation. He then turned directly to the purple-headed man, speaking in the most authoritative tone he could manage. The guard seemed to let go of any hopes of light conversation and Tadase mentally rewarded himself. Nagihiko was a good man, though they had only met on a few occasions, but there was a time and a place for cheerful conversation. "Fujisaki, what exactly was it that required my being here?" he asked, glancing back at the market. "I admit that I'm sceptical of gaining any knowledge of Her Highness' disappearing act here…"

Tadase was mildly surprised to find that Nagihiko let out a chuckle at this. "As was I, Commander," the man began and soon after his jovial tone had started to slowly fade away into something more serious; "but it appears that last night – at around the time Her Highness was expected to arrive – a few of the locals noticed some particularly suspicious behaviour, sir."

"Suspicious?"

The guard nodded. "Well, sir," he continued; "as well as Her Highness' disappearance, there has also been a number of robberies in the area." He gestured to some of the buildings, most of which Tadase had spotted earlier. The man once more found his attention directed to those crates and that pot of sunflowers. Well, that explained it. Theft. But, in all honesty, the Commander couldn't help but wonder where the guard possibly intended to go with this and he frowned rather intensely as he tried to puzzle it out.

"Fujisaki," he began, failing to see the relevance; "I understand that you've a reason for bringing me here today, but I must say I'd prefer that you cut to the chase and explained how this all connects to Her Highness."

"I couldn't recall every witness' account, but I've heard from local police officers that several residents reported a large gathering of people alongside the waterfront." Nagihiko turned to face the town and gestured towards the buildings. "Further into the town behind us here, sir, it appears this group was spotted again making their way through the side streets, towards the border."

"And towards the road on which Her Highness was travelling." Tadase added in, mumbling softly and staring the way the guard had pointed. His brows knit firmly together and a hand on his chin in thought, Tadase contemplated it all and wondered whether or not there was truly any link to Amu's abduction.

As if sensing the man's struggling thought process, Nagi leant forwards and said; "A number of these people are genuinely fearful… They have not seen robbery on such a grand scale for some years now, sir." He glanced over at the empty shops and the boarded-up windows with a somewhat sorrowful look in his eye and a sympathy for even the poorest people that he had felt ever since he left the filthy, scummy streets as a teenager for something much more pleasant; something worthwhile that made him feel like he could do his part to protect those vulnerable peasants, however indirectly.

"And so it would seem that we are searching for a group of criminals with an overload of stolen goods and who have since disappeared from sight…" Tadase sighed in defeat. "It's vague, but at least it's something." He reasoned before facing the guard and taking on an authoritative tone, preparing to issue an order when before the first word had even fallen from his tongue he was interrupted by a coarse-sounding, throaty–

"_Commander?"_

Tadase abruptly stopped and slowly turned to regard the speaker with a stern expression. "I'm sorry, sir?" He asked, watching the old man who had appeared to his left curiously. The man held his head high, his wispy grey beard seemingly hanging to his wrinkled chin by a single hair and he hobbled toward them on his one bad ankle with an ease that came with years of disability and constant practice. When he spoke, he spoke clearly, if a little hushed towards the ends of his sentences where he had to pause and take a steadying breath before the next.

"Pardon the interruption, my good men," the elderly man said, leaning on a walking stick and looking from one man to the other; "But I've been meanin' to look out fer whomever's in charge here."

"That would be myself, sir." Was all that the Commander said in reply. To the side Nagihiko remained silent, waiting for the old man to continue.

"These… These robberies, sirs," he gestured towards the vacant shops; "Well, I know there aren't a whole lot of us here that managed to catch the rascals what did it all, but-but I'll tell you something, Commander," Tadase merely nodded to show the old man he was following. "Last night, out here in these docks, they moored – right over there, see – and a lot of 'em, they were. _A lot of 'em!_ They come down here, break down the windows, bash in the doors… Armed of course. Knives and muskets and barrels… Anyway…

"You see, sirs, my old legs…" a humourless bark of laughter. "They're not quite what they used to be. All I were able to do were to stay under cover in that alleyway over there." He breathed a lengthy sigh, a hand to his chest and Tadase saw the pure relief the man's pale face. "My thanks to the Lord in heaven that they failed to pick me out 'a them shadows. You… You should 'a seen those dirty thieves, sir. Like cowards, they are! Doin' their dirty work an' the like when no one can see them an' then high-tailin' out with their stolen goods all tucked away nicely in that ship of theirs!"

Tadase's gaze hardened, his heart stopping in his chest as he considered what could have perhaps been one of the worst possibilities - if not for Amu herself, but for the small little town and the peace that had been established in the years that had passed. "Ship?"

A nod.

"Do you mean... Pirates..?"

The old man hung his head and nodded – his expression one of grim acceptance.

The Commander's mind reeled and his blood ran cold. He could not find the words to so much as begin to describe the dreaded implications behind such a claim, but he knew that, whatever they were, none would bode well for Her Highness and he found himself captured in the stony grip of fear for his fiancée. Chilled to the very core and with hesitancy, Tadase turned to the guard beside him and managed to ask; "Fujisaki… Would you mind telling me exactly what was taken?"

"I believe the majority of the goods was made up of gunpowder, Commander, as well as several firearms, netting, and a plentiful supply of alcohol and food."

"How much food?"

"A great amount of food, sir." Nagi responded. "Some small shops have been completely cleared out. Business will be doing quite poorly around here for some time."

Tadase furrowed his brow, rubbing his temples as light began to shine on the Princess' disappearance. "Not even the most unfortunate beggar could take that much for his own supply…" he stated, mostly to himself.

Realising the old man's words to have been true, he now knew it would be a struggle to accept. A struggle, definitely, but also the only thing he could possibly do and he would have been a liar to say that didn't make him feel as utterly helpless as he had been back at the scene of the crime. But, of course, he dragged himself from the dirt down in that pit of hopelessness he had fallen into and stood on his own two feet, gathering every ounce of strength from within his body and mustering the will to move forward. Amu may have been out of his reach at that point in time, but he sure as hell wouldn't let her stay there. She was so horribly out of reach, but he would move heaven and Earth just to place her within an arm's length.

But still…

"It's been a while since they last dared to show their face in these waters..." Tadase growled. Not in years had he seen occasions similar to this. Not in years had those criminals of the sea touched their peaceful little town and swept the place clean of anything valuable. It was as clear as day - those scoundrels had been stocking up their supplies for their voyage. He had for most of his life held a sort of loathing for pirates such as these, but when Amu had been thrown into their dirty little deeds… Well, it made him sick. His face had paled a few shades and his heart had started to pump a few beats quicker in an unfortunate mix of fear and terror and _rage_ that he feared could not be calmed until Her Highness was once more safe and by his side. If his fiancée had been harmed in any way by these filthy, murderous pirates he would personally see to it that they all hung for their crimes and were disposed of into the sea where they had lived their unlawful lives. He glanced back at the calm sea and at the horizon, half hoping that he would spot a faraway ship in the distance and that his wife-to-be would be stood on the deck calling for him to notice her, unharmed and eager to come back home and into his arms where she belonged.

Nagi drew the Commander's attention once more as he glanced towards the waterfront, his face now ashen and eyes wide with a fear or shock – which one Tadase could not pinpoint – and asked; "There… There had not been a pirate sighting in this area for many years… Are we… Can we be positive?"

"I'd say it's highly likely." Tadase replied, his voice sounding rather weary all of a sudden as a new thought had formed in his brain;

'_Dear God, how shall I tell His Majesty?'_

"You know…" the old man, who had remained silent for a short while up 'til now, heaved a sigh, casting his gaze towards the waters that quivered under the sudden breeze and it was only now that Tadase seemed to notice the tan-coloured coarseness of his skin which came from constant travel, the sea salt, the sunrays beating down day after day. "I once spent a great deal of my time upon these magnificent seas of ours. I've been at the mercy of these men before..." He swallowed, jaw ridged and fingers running over and over the stick in his hand. "I could not believe me eyes. If it were possible to stop them fer good... Would you do that, Commander, sir?"

"I assure you," Tadase began somewhat gravely; "that if it is true and that if we do indeed come across these scoundrels, the entire Royal Navy will be notified and I shall see to it that they are sent to the bottom of the sea. Unless of course they can be brought to the gallows first."

And with this the man, seemingly satisfied gave the man a grateful smile quite unlike anything the other two had expected from him and, quietly mumbling about how the words had put him at ease, bid them good day soon after and wandered off back towards the town. Tadase watched him leave, admiration evident in his eyes as he took in the retreating form of the gentlemen who he was sure had sailed the seas in his country's honour for many years.

There was a period of quiet then. The noise from the locals still continued on in the background, yet all that the Commander could bring himself to pay attention to was the gentle whistle of the wind as it swept across the water's surface, bringing a cool gust up onto the land and past his ankles. The wind had travelled from across the ocean – the entire ocean, for in this direction there was nothing to intercept the air or waves until you reached the nearest continent – and perhaps had even passed the vessel which was currently holding Amu hostage. With that thought he turned his towards the workers still beside the quay. It was only now that he could guess why the men appeared so afraid. Any sane merchant sailor would quake in his boots with the threat of being pillaged.

Tadase exhaled heavily. "They were stocking up provisions for their voyage... I'll bet my entire fortune they knew Her Highness was coming that night."

Nagihiko tried to tread with caution. "With all due respect, Commander, how is it that they would have known?"

"They have their ways. They're sneaky rats." He answered. "We've got to find them immediately." But his mind screamed: '_Where was she now? What had they done to her? Where had they taken her?'. _"And perhaps, until then, I may need to speak with some of these merchant sailors… How did these criminals manage to escape our sights so quickly?" he added, almost as an afterthought.

But then there was the far more pressing, far more worrying question;

_'What do they want with the Princess of Seiyo?'_

_ "Our Princess held hostage in the hands of pirates…" Tadase closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. "God help us all."_

_~.~.~_

* * *

_**Definitions**_

_**Poop deck**__: The deck above the roof of the stern/Captain's cabin._

_(__**A/N**__: Wow okay so I'm really unhappy with this chapter. I just feel like it's really weak and I could have come up with a way far more interesting for Tadase to come to the conclusion that pirates are involved. But all I could think would be best was to have an eye witness…_

_But whatever. I've changed this chapter so much that I don't really want to face more editing. I'll try and make up for it at some point.) _


	8. Eight

~.~.~

Finally. _Relief_. Relief from hours and hours spent organising the galley and hauling spare rope and maintaining the level of cleanliness needed to satisfy the Captain's expectations. Apparently, a tidy deck was highly valued among these men – almost as highly valued as it was back at the Palace where maids glided along gleaming, stone corridors and scrubbed the tiling and dusted the chandeliers and, for the first time in her entire life, Amu was starting to understand how her often underappreciated servants must have felt. Her body ached, her hands blistered, her dress stained… She had perhaps thought that scrubbing the decks would have been a meagre task and that at some point she could have possibly slipped away for a quiet hour or two away from these rogues that held her hostage. But no, her day was quite the opposite.

That's why, after a lengthy first full day (and it was hours after the sun had dipped below the horizon), Amu had been positively _relieved _to be told that her day was done and that she was free to finish on the quarterdeck and make her way back to her cabin. If she hadn't been so exhausted, she might have been tempted to give the speaker a hug instead of the simple 'thank you' which she deemed not appropriate enough to fully express her delight, but instead had simply wandered aft and inside, ready to collapse into her bedding and forget about her situation for just a moment – just enough, anyway, to fall into a peaceful slumber. The lighting was dim; the corridor only illuminated by a single flickering flame that danced atop a messy, awkward lump of wax and wick beside the doors behind her. She made an effort to slam them shut before the nightly chill could snuff the spark out and leave her drowned in darkness. The shadows suddenly had lives of their own and they leapt and frolicked about the empty space hauntingly like tricksters of the night who wished to make her head spin and heart race until she broke down and screamed out – a desperate, heart-wrenching scream – for release of their torment. To tell the truth, things seemed to be on the tricksters' side she realised as the shifting light combined with the sudden rise and fall of the ship's body had a rather dizzying effect. The sleep deprivation, the fatigue, a trick of the eyes and the unexpected movement…

A wave hit the bow of the Shining Black and Amu stumbled forwards, slumping against a door to her left.

"_Lord, just let me rest."_

With her prayer whispered into the silence Amu firmly grasped the handle of the door, shifting the weight she had supported up against the frame, and twisted. A heavy, bitter feeling of disappointment rose once she found it would not turn and she huffed. She didn't know where Ikuto was, but surely he would have known to unlock her cabin for her to return to unless, for some reason, he felt the need to make her life significantly harder in some way. Amu growled lowly at the thought and yanked on the handle, harder this time, but still to no avail and in her foggy, hazed mind uttered a particularly foul curse towards whoever had decided to keep her cabin door locked. Her next huff of frustration was louder this time. She without thinking rose a fist and, with a strength that quite surprised her when considering that her arms felt like they would detach themselves from their sockets and limply fall to the ground given the slightest prod, began to bang loudly on the door.

"Come on," she muttered.

_BANG!_

"Why won't it open?"

_BANG, BANG, BA-_

"_**I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU LOT TO GO AWAY!"**_

The Princess froze.

Blinking once, twice, three times, Amu lowered her balled fist and shook her head, staring dumbfounded at the wooden object mere inches away from her nose. Had she become so horribly weary that now even her ears were playing dirty tricks on her? But when the sudden voice so sharp and piercing as the blade of a new knife had flared up from behind the cabin door had been so very _real _and threatening could it possibly have been nothing more than a mild hallucination? Amu wondered if the tricksters that still flew across the walls, their presence as foreboding and as eerie as deathly spirits, had played a part. Her tongue threatened to stutter and stumble over the words it was made to form, but she managed forced out a wavering; "I'm sor-?"

"_**LEAVE!"**_The voice was back and cutting as it had been before. _"LEAVE BEFORE I COME OUT THERE AND STRING YOU TO THE SPARS!"_

"A-! I'm-I'm sorry!" Amu gasped out, shaking her head as if to rid herself of the sleepy fog that had shrouded her brain. "I thought that this was my cabin!" she added as if it would further help her case, stepping back from the stranger's door and turning to reach her own (because now that her mind was clearer, she seemed to remember her cabin being on the right-hand side of the corridor and looking at the situation now noticed that she was on the left) when another utterance stopped her in her tracks.

"Wait." The voice ordered.

Perhaps against her better judgement, Amu did just that.

With an ear-splitting creak that rivalled those produced by the Shining Black itself and the screech of a rusty lock, the door was slowly, gently opened with a sense of caution. Amu stepped back so to give some space to whoever was behind it and watched with curiosity as the person themselves appeared.

She poked her head out from behind the door with all the hesitancy of a timid mouse, though her eyes – alive with some sort of fierce emotion, even if they did occasionally dart from side to side or up to down erratically – seemed to scream to her unwelcome visitor that if she got too close she could find herself burned. Amu didn't doubt that she could find herself in trouble with this stranger. She wasn't much taller than Amu and she looked slim, yet wearied, but she carried a demeanour that reminded the heiress very much of some sort of wild animal; a jaguar perhaps that appeared beautiful and stunning, but also with the power to become fierce and strong (if the life within her lilac eyes was anything to go by) when it was required.

But despite all this, the thing which Amu found to hit her the hardest was simply the fact that there was another woman on board.

A _woman._

Didn't pirates deem it to be unlucky to sail with a woman aboard? In the short time she had spent on the Shining Black, Amu had only been in the company of men – tough buccaneers hardened by sun and sea salt – and had never observed any females amongst the group as they went about their work up on the decks. And it sent a sort of alarm through her fatigued body because it was obvious to her now that Captain Ichinomiya was keeping other women aboard and with that realisation the feeling only strengthened as she wondered _'What kind of ghastly purpose could be possibly have in keeping us on his ship?'_.

She looked the stranger in the eye. For how long had she been kept here? How had she come to be here at all?

The woman, lightly brushing dull golden tresses from the side of her face and mumbling quietly to herself, looked Amu up and down, her eyes performing a thorough examination of this new recruit – from the hem of her dirty dress to the top of her pink head.

"I thought we had a newcomer on board…" she whispered, the words but a breeze of air. She initiated eye contact and Amu was at a loss for words. With nothing to say, she stood and waited.

"Your Highness…" the woman started. "Correct?"

Amu blinked before nodding slowly. "Yes." She nodded again, firmer this time and gave a more confident; "Yes."

The blonde for a split second lowered herself in a gesture that was almost a bow. "It's a pleasure." She said quickly. "My name is Utau."

The heiress smiled at the introduction. For whatever reason, it was pleasant to have an exchange such as this and so she returned the bow of the head. "Amu." She said as her own little way of a proper introduction.

Utau had opened her mouth to reply when all of a sudden her body froze over; her eyes now wide with fear and she subconsciously pressed herself into the doorframe, one hand on the door as if to slam it shut.

"Come in." she said abruptly.

Amu, puzzled, was about to protest when she heard the scuffling outside the doorway to the deck and turned to see the darkened silhouettes through the windows, stumbling drunkenly forwards.

"Uh- I-I- Um, I'm not supposed to have any contact with any members of the crew!" she stammered as Utau began to beckon her into the cabin. She added a weak; "Captain's orders!" as if it would have any effect on Utau's perception. It didn't, unfortunately.

"Don't worry about the Captain."

What an odd statement, Amu thought. In fact, 'odd' was probably an understatement to say the very least. How could she bring herself to not worry about the Captain – that man who held the crew in a vice-like grip and seemingly played on fear and torment in order to keep them in line? He had dragged her aboard this God-forsaken craft; thrown her into the cabin across the hallway; he made her stare down the barrel of a gun; had practically locked her up and thrown away the key all for reasons that he wasn't yet willing to share with the woman herself. Yet here was this woman – this young, mysterious woman – telling her to not worry about Captain Ichinomiya or the consequences their interaction may bring should he suspect so much as a single thing.

No. The thought had her all light-headed. She couldn't do it. She may have allowed herself to socialise with Kukai, but to break the Captain's rules only feet away from his own cabin felt like something entirely different. Her dearest apologies to this woman and her words of reassurance – that so very nearly lured her into some sort of sense of security – but she just couldn't.

But then the awful low thud of boots and the barks of harsh laughter as the silhouettes met the doors resounded through the little corridor and Amu's resistance shattered like a crystal glass; into a million fine pieces and sent flying across the floorboards, left there in a small sand-like pile as she scurried into the safety of the cabin.

The cabin was dark, but warm and offered a sense of security much unlike anything else Amu had felt whilst aboard this ship – with the exception of her cabin, of course, but even so, her little box of confinement was sterile in comparison to this place. A small assortment of jewellery sat atop the dresser inside a beautifully carved box; a gleaming mirror hung above the dresser; the covers on the bed were dyed in various bright colours and a few scarves had been tied to one of the bedposts. It wasn't much, but it was still far more homely than in Amu's own room.

Amu glanced over at the woman who was busily securing a variety of different locks and bolts and seemingly ancient latches so stiff to move that her knuckles were as white as snow. They lined the doorframe – all different shapes and sizes and ages as if they'd been collected and grouped together from many different places – bolted randomly along the wood. The heiress watched in fascination until the woman let out a satisfied huff in triumph before going back to her guest.

"I must apologise." she muttered rather begrudgingly. "I-"

"Really, you shouldn't worry!" Amu interrupted, putting on a polite smile and dismissing everything with the wave of a hand. "Anyway," she continued; "you said your name was Utau, right?"

Utau nodded wordlessly.

"It's good to meet you, Utau." She said. "Actually, I'm very surprised to find another woman aboard."

"I'm sure it is," Utau answered, moving over to the table and sitting down. Amu followed suit. "I haven't been on deck recently. But, no, I'm here. You were brought here yesterday afternoon, am I right?" Amu nodded. "I thought I heard something about that…" She trailed off a little and the heiress didn't miss the way she glanced warily in the direction of the firmly locked door. It was only for a second though, as she quite quickly came out with her next question; "I have to wonder what you must think of this ship, Your Highness."

The Princess felt like sinking back into her chair. How could she convey her first impressions accurately to this woman?

"Well…" she began uncertainly. "I… I can't say. I don't know this ship. I'm not used to it… But from what I've seen the people aren't as bad as I first thought. The Captain is terrifying and there are some members of the crew whom I'm sure do not wish me to be there, but I'm also sure that people have been looking at me with pity whilst they think I'm not watching. I don't blame them," she admitted, distracted, following her finger with her eyes as it ran along the grain of the wooden table, tracing imaginary circles and patterns carelessly into the surface; "I think if I were one of them I would pity any stranger my Captain abducted. To tell the truth, I'm not really sure how I got here. I was just travelling one minute and then…" she shrugged uselessly, confused and frightened when remembering her encounter on that lonesome little dirt road in the dead of night; "then it all seemed to go horribly wrong…"

From across the table Utau watched in silence as Amu was rendered silent, trailing off into her own puzzled thoughts, and the blonde nearly nodded to herself. She was sure that most of the crew did pity the girl and, looking at her in a situation like this, she almost did too. Almost.

"It is true that if you're not used to being aboard a ship – much less a pirate ship of all things – then it can be quite nerve-wracking." She replied quietly. "I remember what it was like back then – back when I first came here."

At this Amu's head bobbed back up to make eye contact. "So…" she was tempted to tip-toe around the subject, but of course her curiosity had taken hold of her and she asked quite plainly; "So how long have you been on this ship?"

Utau's body became ridged and she broke the eye contact to glance away – a sign that she was clearly reluctant to let her past out so easily. Amu shrunk back again, embarrassed. How rude could she possibly be?

She shook her head and decided to try and undo the damage that had already been done. "It-It doesn't matter, you don't ha-"

"My mother, brother and I have been here for almost an entire decade."

Amu was stunned into silence.

'_A decade?'_

And then fear struck as she wondered how long _she_ might have to remain with the crew and the Captain of the Shining Black if someone like Utau here (as well as others, it seemed) had been forced to stay for nearly _ten_, long years. Utau didn't seem to notice the sudden panic that was taking a hold of her cabin guest and the mention of her family had sparked a memory in the back of her mind. She eyed the newcomer almost suspiciously, uttering quite bluntly;

"You appear to be relatively familiar with my brother, Ikuto."

Taken aback, Amu didn't catch the bitterness of that statement. "You and Ikuto are _related?"_

Utau nodded stiffly. Taken by surprise, Amu found herself compelled to ask more. After all, she didn't know Ikuto, not really. The thought that he had a sister only across the corridor from her was quite astounding, for she'd never really thought much about the possibility of him having blood relatives close by and it was strange to place that sort of attachment between him and the woman sitting across the table from her.

"N-No way! He never mentioned-"

The sudden glare from the woman across the table silenced her.

And now Amu felt that horrible emotion known as guilt begin to tug at her heart. Why was she so foolish? Why was she so driven to ask such things of a person she had barely met ten minutes ago? She liked to think it was due to a degree of natural curiosity, but it was an action that she would come to regret many more times in the near future.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

Utau snapped with all the ferocity of a wild dog; "I wouldn't expect someone such as you to understand, Your Highness."

She wished now that she'd considered following the Captain's rules. No interaction with the crew, huh... Perhaps it was for the best if she limited her contact with Utau for a good long while.

"It's getting late." The blonde suddenly declared, standing up so fast that the chair scraped painfully loudly on the surface of the planks. From the desk drawer she went to retrieve a thick silver chain from which multiple keys were hung. She held it up to the light. "I would appreciate it if you would keep quiet about this, Princess."

Clearly Utau would find herself in deep trouble should anyone find her with copies of keys to just about anywhere on the ship. Knowing Captain Ichinomiya, her life would probably be in considerable peril. Amu would never say anything, but the look she received as she awkwardly followed out through the door and into the corridor was one of clear distrust. She did not want to cause any more damage that day – especially not when her fatigue was finally starting to catch up with her again.

"Thank you, Utau." She said politely as her cabin was opened. She stepped inside and went to apologise once more. Utau slammed the door shut, leaving Amu to hang her head and loathe her own actions.

~.~.~

* * *

**Spar**: A horizontal pole used for the masts and yards of a ship.

_(__**A/N**__: Okay so I feel like this chapter had little meaning, but I had to introduce Utau at some point. I really wanted to add Utau in and to actually give her some sort of place on the Shining Black._

_Except I'm worried that she's OOC in this chapter… So please tell me if you notice any OOC moments because I truly can't stand it when I read fics that don't stick to the characters' original personalities.)_


	9. Nine

~.~.~

"His Majesty will be ready to see you now, Commander Hotori."

"Thank you."

The servant gestured for Tadase to follow and led him through the mansion towards the largest dining hall where the two monarchs were apparently finishing up with their morning meal. Tadase followed in silence; the blood rapidly pounding in his ears drowning out any other sound nearby. He was nervous. Extremely nervous. Strange, usually, for a Commander such as he to feel such anxiety, but, then again, too much had happened far too quickly in the past couple of days. He told himself repeatedly that he should be filled with a sense of renewed vigour. He should be leaping and raring to go and scour every corner of the seven seas now that he knew where his fiancée most likely being held. And he _would_ have if not for the fact that, in his haste to significantly widen the search for his bride-to-be, he had forgotten one crucial thing.

He still had to tell the King.

King Tsumugu – ruler of an empire; leader of a great nation; devoted father to Her Royal Highness Amu Hinamori – was just on the other side of those giant, looming double-doors up ahead, waiting impatiently to hear the outcome of the latest search of the town, wanting to be given some reassurance that his daughter was still within an arm's reach. But, of course, she wasn't… And Tadase would have to be the one to tell him that. He scolded himself for momentarily letting something so greatly important slip his mind, but all day he had been busy taking in and contemplating and making sense of all the information he had gathered.

Those doors were stood right in front of him before he even realised it and as they were slowly pushed open Tadase had to force himself to place one foot in front of the other, for it was not in his interests to face the fury of an angered father. As he entered Tsumugu greeted him jovially which did nothing to improve the man's confidence. This news couldn't be broken easily to the King who so loved his eldest daughter and _he _would have to be the one to brutally destroy His Majesty's cheerful demeanour. But it had to be done regardless.

"Commander, good morning." Tsumugu was seated in an armchair at the end of the hall, Midori to his right who tore her gaze from the blooms outside the window and smiled politely.

"Good morning, Your Majesty." The Commander replied, making his way over. His staff tapped a little more forcefully than needed against the marble, but the two didn't seem to notice. "I trust you had another pleasant night?"

They assured him that they most certainly had, but Tadase wondered how one could possibly sleep peacefully knowing that their girl was nowhere to be seen.

"You know, Tadase," the Tsumugu stood up and stretched his legs a little; "I haven't had the chance to talk with you since this time yesterday… I heard you went out into the town quite suddenly in the afternoon. Was there any luck?"

Tadase trod carefully with his next statement. "It depends on the way you look at it, if I'm honest."

Tsumugu met his eyes. "Have you found our daughter?"

An uncomfortable pause followed the King's inquiry.

"I'm afraid not, Your Majesty."

"Ah." The older man replied. He nodded in acceptance and stole a glance at the woman beside him who – to the surprise of everyone present – looked completely composed.

"I see." She said softly. "Well, never mind just yet, dear." Midori told her husband. "It's still early days as of yet." She sounded weary and weak and Tadase was now positive that she hadn't slept at all. He nodded again before lowering himself down into the armchair.

At the sight of the King's disappointment, Tadase's gaze seemed to soften and he felt he could no longer hold off on revealing such important news. If there was one thing that could keep them going, he realised, it was that wonderful little thing called 'hope'. Yes, Amu may seem far from them, but it was not as if nothing could be done. Tadase knew where she was (or roughly so, anyway) and he could lead them to look in the right place. He _would, _he told himself and with that thought that sudden drive to get out there into the world and hunt down those disgraceful pirates – that energy he had told himself to feel much earlier on – hit him like the bullet he would use to strike down the criminal who had dared to lay such filthy hands on the Princess of Seiyo. They could run, but they could not hide, he told himself. They would be hunted down like the dogs they were and would meet the swift hand of justice.

The Commander stepped forward, voice firm as he felt this concentrated vigour surging through his veins. "But, as I said, Your Majesty," he began; "it very much depends on how you look at things." Tsumugu's attention fully caught, Tadase took a breath and continued. Though he felt the motivation to aid Her Highness, he was still all too aware that the King's reaction could go either way. "Yesterday your guard, Fujisaki, and I visited the docks. Only nights ago it appears that a group of criminals decided to raid a number of local buildings… It appears frighteningly similar to events that occurred in this town many years ago."

"Commander," Midori took the chance to speak whilst the man paused; "Our daughter was captured by _criminals?" _she asked, the word leaving a bitter taste on her tongue.

He shook his head. "I have reason to believe that Amu was captured by pirates, Your Majesty."

And a silence enveloped the dining hall for quite some time before Tsumugu stood on his feet again and repeated with an irate shout; _"Pirates?" _He looked to Tadase, to Midori and then to Tadase once again. "Tadase, what evidence have you to possibly suggest that _my daughter-"_

The younger man talked fast before the King could completely lose his temper. "An eye witness confided in Fujisaki and I and as well as this there is great fear among the merchant ships down at the waterfront. My King, I've revisited those docks since then and heard rumours of a new ship frequenting these waters – the fisherman in particular speak of it with such terror…" he trailed off for a moment as he remembered the way the workers had shaken, speaking of a large frigate with sails made out of shadows and a shining diamond on its transom. "But, from what I've learnt," Tadase continued; "is that this ship was last spotted in the area the night your daughter disappeared. Now, I don't know about yourselves, but I feel this is far beyond coincidental. And, what's more, think back to the bullet wound described upon the unfortunate horseman," – a pause to let the King rewind his memory before he made his point – "A buccan is known for his extraordinary shot. And the manner in which Her Highness' abduction took place? Those dogs are notorious for their sneaky ambushes. It appears that they're as cunning on land as they are at sea."

There was a nod of agreement from the King (as reluctant as it might have been) as he considered Tadase's argument and slowly began to understand the logic. At this point, Midori lowered her head into her hands and murmured between her fingers; "What on Earth… What on Earth do such criminals want with our Amu?"

"If she is wanted by them for a specific reason, Your Majesty, then that would be very worrying." Tadase began, however, he caught the look of alarm that streaked across Tsumugu's face and quickly tried to go back on his words. "But, the way I see it at this moment, these men are most likely to be acting merely for personal gain in which case I feel that there is far less to panic about. These are fickle creatures we're talking about, after all, and they seem to have little use for a member of the Monarchy besides ransom. Should they have had darker means, well, I presume she would not have made it out of that carriage at all."

Midori nodded into her hands and breathed steadily to calm down. In front of her, Tsumugu had become restless and was starting to pace.

"We must send out the Royal Navy, that much is obvious." The King stated firmly. He met Tadase's eye. "I will order a search of the seas – _every _sea. I shall enter enemy territory if I must! I shall _truce_ in hopes of aid if I must!"

"Your Majesty," Tadase intervened; "I feel that such measures must only be taken as a very last resort. Do not worry – I'll see to it that the search for Her Highness is carried out properly." He told the King with a stern nod of the head. "I'll begin gathering my finest crew and I'll set out ahead of time."

~.~.~

Amu felt the vibrations of the planks long before Ikuto appeared above her. She glanced upwards to see him staring down at her, his head blotting out the sunlight which had shone so painfully bright in her eyes not long ago. She abandoned the scrubbing brush inside the bucket and looked up at him, still shielding her eyes from the occasional ray that made its way around his looming figure.

"Ikuto?"

He stepped backwards and she flinched as the light made its way into her line of sight once again. "Ikuto, what do you want?" she huffed, awkwardly attempting to stand up again on legs that had been rendered numb and stiff from hours of leaning against the hardwood floors.

When she had finally risen from her spot on the ground, the man gestured towards the aftercastle with a nod of the head. "You've been summoned, Your Highness." He said simply. "The Captain wishes to see you in his cabin."

The woman froze on the spot for a moment as her brain tried desperately to process the information, but to no avail. Yet still she seemed to feel the gravity of the situation hit her hard because, after all, a summons from Kazuomi Ichinomiya would surely be enough have anyone quaking in their boots.

"I'm- I'm sorry?"

"Just get a move one." Ikuto told her in that monotone, indifferent way of his that was beginning to nag her just a little bit. He paused for a second as he waited patiently for her to follow only to scowl when he saw her still staring at him blankly seconds later. "I told you to get a move on." He repeated, a little more exasperated this time. She almost jumped. "The Captain doesn't want to be kept waiting."

"Y-Yes…" She nodded, scampering towards him as he made his way back up to the quarterdeck all the way on the other side of the deck. "I'm sorry."

There was a second pause during which Amu was beginning to wonder whether it was worth responding at all as she looked up at him. He stood slightly hunched and she was sure that it was most likely because he was reluctant and unwilling to drag himself out onto the deck just to fetch Kazuomi's hostage – some small, pitiful girl who now felt so lonesome and somewhat foolish with all this silent treatment she received from the crew of the Shining Black. Whether it was because their Captain had told them so she didn't know, but she did know that for some reason a few larger, more threatening members of the crew had been keeping her away from most others. Put to work in isolated spots; shoved down below when the lower decks were empty… When Kukai had tried to talk with her this morning he was quickly sent up into the nettings above by one of the brutes. They'd then stood watching over her from a short distance away and silently deterring anyone else from approaching.

At least they had until Ikuto had emerged and – probably understanding that he'd been sent by the Captain – they'd wandered off without a word to lend a hand with some other duties. It was strange. It made her feel on-edge and self-conscious, but it also made her wonder whether or not Kazuomi had deliberately made an effort to capture her. Surely if he had, wouldn't the crew be more enthusiastic with her here? Horribly pleased with themselves having succeeded and whatnot, perhaps taunting her and treating her in some despicable ways, but not completely avoiding her as if she were some sort of foreign disease that would have them all on their backs within the hour. Ikuto may have spoken to her when Kazuomi asked, but Amu felt deep down that, honestly, she was more like a burden to him – a task and a further burden to the entire crew of this God forsaken ship who was now having to drag her across the entire ocean to waste their supplies and take up their spare cabins and who needed someone's supervision lest they wanted their Captain's rapier between their ribs.

A sudden sense of guilt overwhelmed her – not because of the fact that she was an 'inconvenience' aboard the buccaneers' ship, but because she remembered that the man in front of her was now troubled with the task of watching over her each day, ordered about by the man he seemed to hate because they had taken _her _in and he just looked so _weary_ from where she stood that she really felt kind of _bad _(for lack of a better word). Having someone unwilling to do such things for her was new – the servants at the Palace had always been completely different. She couldn't seem to stop herself from whispering out one last;

"I'm sorry…"

Good Lord… If she had been reduced to such a guilty state on only her third day of captivity then Amu dreaded the mental state she'd be in when she left. Being plunged into this world… Ignored, treated like someone to be avoided at all costs… A burden… It was all so different and unexpected and she had no idea how to handle any of it.

Amu mentally scoffed in a weak attempt to shrug it off. _'If they are not willing to act their normal selves around me then perhaps it was not worth bothering treating them with any kind of civility after all…'_

At least that's what she thought until there was a sigh from up ahead and with a single, short sentence Ikuto once again made her feel like she was being acknowledged as a person, saying for once without that dull, boring tone;

"It's nothing to worry about."

Not a hostage; not a Princess; not someone who should be avoided. A _person_.

In an alien world that's all she really wanted right now and it was enough to make her feel a little more relaxed after being shunned for the day until suddenly she found herself staring at the entranceway to the Captain's cabin. That was when something far more important came to the front of her mind.

Why did the Captain want her here anyway?

~.~.~

* * *

**_Definitions_**

**Transom**: The planking forming a flat surface at the stern of a ship.

**Aftercastle**: The stern structure which contains the Captain's cabin (and possibly additional others) underneath the poop deck.

**Rapier**: A sword with a long, slender blade and cupped hilt used mainly for stabbing movements.


	10. Ten

~.~.~

Amu was unnerved to see Kazuomi's mouth form a wry grin as she and Ikuto entered the grand cabin that was reserved only for the ship's Captain. The man himself was seated comfortably in his filthy chair and he looked at his son, pleased that he had once again carried out any duty set for him.

"Thank you, Ikuto." He said, though his tone was far from the praising, fond, fatherly kind that Amu would have expected. No. It was almost mocking. "Your Highness," he continued and he gestured for her to take a seat in the rickety little chair across from his desk; "please take a seat. I have been expecting you."

She did as she was told. "Of course, Captain."

Amu tried not to grimace as her skin touched the dusty, near-decayed wood of the chair and sat back; waiting for whatever the man had to say. It was starting to torment her a little bit, the way he stared at her from across the desk with those eyes, so serious and cold and focused the way they latched onto her own and studied her almost curiously, as if looking for something in particular. For what she did not know, however, as she inwardly squirmed under his gaze. She felt transparent. She felt like he could just stare into her brain and her soul and find whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. She felt like he could do all this and then see past her – right through to the other side of the cabin where Ikuto – as always – patiently stood by the door and listened in because (even though he tried to appear as indifferent as always) he was genuinely curious too. Although this could only make her feel more concerned. She had assumed that Kazuomi would have told his son why he was doing what he asked… But obviously not. And that worried her for some reason.

"Your Highness," the Captain began and, after such a long period of silence, Amu nearly jumped in her seat at the sudden start. He ignored it though and continued on; "I trust you now have a feel for our ship. She's a fine vessel, is she not?"

Unsure of what exactly to say or where on Earth the man was intending to go with this, Amu hesitantly uttered a; "Yes, Captain."

"Ah, but of course she is!" he nodded and absently took a glug of grog from the mug on the corner of his desk. "This Shining Black has taken me around the world, almost, Princess. Around the entire globe – to the great borders of Seiyo; to the chill of the northern continent; to the sun-scorching deserts of the southern east…" The Captain took a quick glance out of the cabin window and to the rolling hills of the ocean just outside in remembrance of all the journeys that this Shining Black had made across the great waters and for a moment Amu could really tell that, aside from all else, this was a weathered, old salt with all the experience and knowledge of a first-class sailor if ever she saw one. It was strange and she maybe would have felt some sort of newfound respect for the man (however small an amount that respect may have been), but, as it was, she was sat across from him as a hostage; not as a Princess nor a commoner, not even merely a fellow human being. She was a hostage who had been unwillingly and cunningly taken from her home and for that she could only view Kazuomi with contempt as he continued on with an edge to his voice that suggested something sinister at play behind the cause of their little meeting. She could only wait uncertainly as he went on;

"I've seen the great trade markets of the orient and I've seen the lush tropics and the surf crash upon foreign lands… I've watched my lads run to her as she sits on the water – a beacon for them if ever there was one, I daresay! She has taken to me to places no other ever could, Princess, and she has seen many a stormy night; many a sea-going battle – by God, she has even skirted through the edges of a hurricane in the tropics many years ago." And he looked at her with those eyes once again and spoke in a tone most sincere that she was a little taken aback. "This ship is very precious to me."

A pause was made to let the words sink in and during this time, Ichinomiya rose from his seat and slurped his alcohol again and had made it over to the other side of the desk where he stood, towering over Amu all the way down there in her creaky little chair in a manner most intimidating so that she slid down in her seat in a vain attempt to move from under his gaze; in the way a rabbit might do as it shrinks back into its burrow when the foxes come prowling in the dead of night.

"Without this ship I could not have gotten this far, Miss Hinamori." He continued. "I could not have made it here; not left Seiyo; not become a pirate. And, although you may believe that my way of life is ill and fiendish and should be damned with the Devil himself, I have my reasons. I have my reasons for this way of life and I have no intention of turning back. So, yes, this ship is valuable to me. She is my sanctuary and my way of life, so I am sure you understand that she, of course, holds more value to me than most I have obtained in my lifetime." Kazuomi Ichinomiya leaned forwards slowly, teasingly, letting his sentence hang in the air between them. "And now I require something that is of value to yourself, Your Highness."

"I…" Amu stared up at the man, perplexed and baffled. "I beg your pardon? With all due respect–" (she inwardly scoffed, for she meant him none) "–how am I supposed to understand what on Earth you want from me?"

"You can be incredibly helpful to our cause, Princess." Kazuomi replied and Amu felt like protesting greatly. Why would she even want to consider being of help to these people who robbed and thieved and cut and slashed the throats of innocent civilians? The thought made her sick. She turned away to spare herself from looking at him anymore and focused on the fraying rug beneath their feet. The pirate, noticing this, edged towards the side into her field of vision and roughly stomped one big, heavy boot as he walked to snap her attention back to the matter at hand. Amu did so hesitantly, hoping that if she listened like a good little girl he would be done with all his nonsense faster and, ultimately, she could go back outside to whatever it was she was supposed to be doing. Scrubbing planks or fetching supplies for the crew – it was all better than whatever he had to say. Though at the moment he was still staring. Still, still staring and scrutinising and examining her face until–

"The Humpty Lock."

Before she could stop herself, Amu drew a sharp breath at the mention of the name and looked him in the eye. "What?"

The man chuckled without mirth. "The Humpty Lock." He repeated, clearer and firmer this time, and Amu's brows narrowed because she was positive that she had heard that term before. "You know of it."

It wasn't a question. And he was right because at that moment he slid a tattered piece of parchment from behind him on the desk, held it up and on the surface was scrawled a rough, but surprisingly detailed, illustration of the Lock that, years ago, Queen Hinamori had given to her daughter and that which currently rested on a chain around her neck. The space in the middle of her chest where the golden Lock itself lay beneath layers of cloth was suddenly a lot more weighty and Amu felt it press down upon her skin like an anvil tied round one's neck – like a heavy burden that weighs upon a person's conscience, yet in a far more physical form.

'_The Humpty Lock?' _she thought, testing the name within her head, until now never having heard it properly (or at least not for years). _'Why does he want my-'_

But she stopped dead in the middle of her thoughts and travelled back to that afternoon when she had first awoke aboard the ship and Ikuto had taken her back to her cabin and his eyes had locked with the thing around her neck and then–

"_You might not want to let anyone see that."_

Those had been his words.

"_And why might that be?"_

But then that meant…

"_Because… We're pirates."_

That meant that for some reason Ikuto must not have wanted the Captain to find this Lock and she wondered whether it was this that Ikuto said because whatever Kazuomi wanted that Lock for was possibly dangerous or maybe even immoral, but otherwise negative even by a fellow buccaneer's standards.

Behind them, Ikuto had not moved and Amu wished that she could turn and thank him dearly for that little comment he'd made in her cabin that day or else she might not have then and there have put the pieces and together and realised Kazuomi's petty motive for dragging her aboard his vessel in the first place. What he wanted it for she did not know, but when she looked directly at the old man's face she noticed the fire raging fiercely on within his eyes, untamed by his composed and cool exterior and, to tell the truth, it terrified her. His expression spoke volumes and she would have grasped the Lock around her neck to protect it on instinct, but she had to stop herself, realising how utterly idiotic that would have been.

But, although, she did not know exactly why Kazuomi Ichinomiya desired her Humpty Lock, she knew that whatever was keeping Ikuto rather insistent on keeping it hidden must have been strong enough for it to cause him to go against his own superior; his own Captain – his own _father _even – and it was that which strengthened her resolve and set her mind in stone. She would lie and play the fool and not allow this dirty scoundrel to get his hands anywhere near her treasured trinket, but of course that also meant trusting Ikuto enough to lay her own neck right on the line and, of course, relied on her ability to lie convincingly. Amu wholeheartedly thanked her years of preparing for leadership.

"No, Captain…" Her face calm and with a beautiful hint of bewilderment just for a little added effect, she hoped to God that he hadn't taken too much notice in her initial reaction earlier, but he hadn't yet called her out on it, so she supposed that (for now) she was safe. She stared up at him in a way that reminded her of all the times she had tried to deceive her parents as a child – looking for all the world a complete depiction of innocence – and added; "I don't know what you're talking about."

"The Humpty Lock has been handed down the Hinamori line for generations." Ichinomiya stated certainly and then added with a greedy glint in his eye and a disturbingly chaotic grin; _"I've seen it."_

Amu considered her next words carefully. "Well… I have heard something about a piece of jewellery that gets inherited by the Queen..." She paused here and plastered on her best expression of thoughtfulness. "But I've never seen it."

"But, Your Highness," the Captain made no effort to conceal the iciness of his tone as he hissed at her; "I remind you, you _must _have seen it. Does your dear mother not wear it round her neck as, I'm sure, you would..?" He had circled her chair in this time and now stood to her right, leaning down and breathing directly in her ear; vile breath hitting her cheeks in a way that made the Princess want to squirm.

"I have never seen it, Captain." Amu firmly repeated, leaning away for the sake of personal space. "If it is even real, I've never seen my mother with this Lock." And then, with the sudden confidence in herself to continue to spout out these dirty great lies, she found herself shaking her head in a disappointed and exasperated manner. "You fool… You have captured the King's daughter for nothing and I should wish to see you hang for it."

Displeased, the Captain straightened. Silently – which in itself worried Amu as she would prefer to face his wrath right now rather than be left hanging and dreading – he slowly, painstakingly trudged his way back over to the desk, rattling his boots on the floorboards with the dull _thud-thud-thudding _that made the unstable chair she sat in threaten to give way beneath her "You remember your first day aboard this ship, Princess?" She made no reply as he slid open a drawer and reached inside for something that, all the way on the other side of the furniture, she could not see. "You remember my conditions?" No reply. "And you remember how I enforce these rules?"

The chair creaked as the heiress dug her nails into the arms in terror as images of that deadly pistol reappeared in her mind.

"Unfortunately…" the Captain removed that very same pistol from beneath his coat and Amu nearly squeaked, but in a second the thing was gone, dumped carelessly into the drawer with a _thump _that made her jump a little, and the drawer roughly shut. "Unfortunately, my firearms are waiting to undergo a little priming and are, as of now, unfit for service." The breath Amu didn't realise she was even holding was released quite audibly and she was positive she heard a chuckle, though in her little moment of relief she couldn't tell whether it came from the Captain or Ikuto. "But you understand the consequences should you fail to comply, Your Highness?"

She nodded, her voice failing her, and by now her mind was racing with doubts and worries and _'should I come clean?'_. Though, before she could even consider taking it all back under the pressure and the horrors of whatever other weapons Kazuomi could introduce her to, the Captain then sat down heavily in his own seat and was calling forward Ikuto to take her back to her duties. She was up on her feet in a second and being escorted across the room and into the corridor once again by the younger man.

"You," Ikuto began as he ushered her away from the cabin door; "are… Incredibly brave." At her blank look he added; "I would expect anyone else to crack."

"O-Oh-" she nodded a little in understanding. A hint of a blush had spread across her pale cheeks as, honestly, Ikuto's small comment was in fact rather appreciated. "Well," Amu responded; "I suppose it's part of my job. W-Well, you see… If I'm supposed to take over the country someday I'd- I'd have to be and pressure, well, that's part of the job…"

Ikuto somehow managed not to smile as she evidently tried her hardest not to muddle up her wording under his gaze and he watched her go on in mild fascination, quite stunned that she seemed to show determination enough to give Kazuomi such a mighty slip, but, still, the manner in which the Captain had so quickly dismissed her had left an uneasy sort of feeling in his gut and he was beginning to quickly feel anxious.

He realised that now all he could do was rely on Her Highness to keep up her act. He hoped to God that she could keep it up

~.~.~

"She's lying." Captain Ichinomiya's voice just about echoed off the cabin walls that night, the words as heavy as the gale that had started to batter the Shining Black in the last hour and, though the ship rocked and creaked under the strain of the elements, Kazuomi sat back calmly, quietly and paid no heed to the whistling of the cold night wind that rattled the windows and ran across the boards in the draught.

He lowered his face and the light of the flickering candles dotted about the room reflected that gleam of fury that for a moment streaked across his eyes. "She's lying." He repeated firmly. "It's in her family; it's in her generation; I've seen that Lock with _my own damn eyes!" _He almost let the rage overwhelm his senses, yet, thankfully, the Captain caught himself within a second and breathed deeply; as loud as the air outside. "She has to be lying, the haughty little brat." He huffed out the last of his ire and leaned back comfortably. "Never mind. It's just a matter of time until she tells all and when she does…"

He let it hang in the air for a moment before looking up at his son.

"Ikuto, cut the Princess' rations in half." Kazuomi said so casually that Ikuto found it hard to conceal his shock at such blatant and blunt neglect for the heiress. "Make her lack what she needs; make her more miserable – more deprived. Make her desperate enough for a simple slice of bread that within a second she'd take the chance to come crawling back with that Lock in her hand…"

Shortly after Ikuto complied and was excused, leaving the Captain to sit in his cabin alone and in peace.

'_She knows where the Humpty Lock is… She does…'_

~.~.~


	11. Eleven

~.~.~

The burning was unbearable. It pierced through the skin of her neck and into her bones, trickling down her back like sparks as the fire flared; it seeped forwards and round to the front of her face where her cheeks flushed with the temperature and she huffed out a puff of warm air with the hope that it would help her cool down. Hesitantly, warily, Amu chose this moment to glance over her shoulder and up at the poop deck. The Captain still stood staring in her direction. She shuddered and turned back, trying once again to ignore that intense, burning feeling that appeared as he bore holes into her back. She thought she would be lucky today – there was a stronger ocean breeze that was pleasant in contrast to the harsh sunbeams, but now that he was paying such close attention to her… Another shiver coursed through her body and she uneasily tried to carry on with her work.

All around her the planks were thudding; stomped upon and abused by countless boots and bare feet as the crew ran across the deck, adjusting the sails or priming weapons or going over to perch comfortably on the ratlines whilst there was no task for them at hand. She peeked up at said ratlines where at least seven members of the Shining Black were leisurely hanging, suspended in mid-air, laughing and jeering – three were even passing round a mug of something to share around, howling with laughter when one nearly dropped the thing and sent at least half of the rum cascading down onto the deck below. One unfortunate pirate skidded along across the unnoticed puddle of booze and cast a murderous look up to those responsible who in reply just hooted some more. Amu smiled a little at the interaction, trying not to grin so noticeably when the man below suddenly broke off his deathly look and chuckled himself, shaking his head as if to say _"honestly!"_ and casually strolling off to find a bucket and brush to clean up the mess. Captain Ichinomiya behind her might have been a brute to say the least, but the same could not be said for this lot.

This was the first occasion that the Captain had actually stepped out onto the deck to observe his crew since his and Amu's little meeting in his cabin – two days ago now. Two days without so much as a glimpse of the rugged Captain had left Amu in quite high spirits. That first night she had spent tossing and turning in her cabin bed, wondering and wondering and being tormented by the fact that she had no idea why the man wanted her Lock – or her Humpty Lock as it appeared it was called – and praying that she had made the right decision. Two days without seeing his face on the deck of the ship had given her ample time and opportunity to calm herself and to reason that if he was going to press the matter on her further he would have done so already, but, then again, that didn't explain why she was still on the ship at all. She didn't expect him to let her go immediately, nor did she believe that he would give up on the subject of the Humpty Lock quite so easily, but she couldn't help but wonder why he would leave her alone like this – _especially_ when she had seen that look of a madman in his eyes that just screamed out desperation and desire for that little golden trinket he was so keen to get his hands on.

Being left in the dark, she found in this case, was far more unnerving than the truth – however horrible it may have been.

Amu straightened up to place her equipment back in its rightful place in the hold and pretended to turn to observe the water in the direction of the setting sun, casting her eye in the direction of the poop deck as she turned in an attempt to make the action far more inconspicuous than Kazuomi dared to make his. He was gone and she felt relieved. Recently it was as though she couldn't move a muscle without being observed by someone _somehow_. The Captain up on the poop deck; that burly brute up on the quarterdeck; him over there leaning against the gangway… No doubt that this was Captain's orders, yet it seemed that only a select few were in on the secret. There were some members of this crew, she had noticed, who seemed to go out of their way to avoid all interaction with any other; who weren't as loud or sociable or interested in their other crew mates than everyone else. She saw Kukai out of the corner of her eye – optimistic and energetic, high-spirited and often with a child-like air about him that made it almost impossible to not feel cheerful when he appeared – and then some other nameless pirate who she was sure had been keeping his eye on her all yesterday and she found herself baffled by the contrast between the two. The crew seemed divided and she found herself asking why Kazuomi would choose such different types of workers for the job because surely if there was the risk that they couldn't get along wouldn't that make tensions far too dangerously high?

"Amu,"

In her moment of thought Ikuto had clambered up the companionway and was holding up a set of keys, glinting in the rays of the falling sun, in a gesture he had adopted to tell her it was time for her to get back to her cabin for the night. It was early, but her duties were done and frankly she was glad to be rid of the prying eyes that suddenly came from all around, stoking the flames and making the heat rise once again. The Princess turned to face the nearest one as if to say that, yes, she knew he was watching her and she was getting bloody tired of it.

"Are you coming," Ikuto began once she didn't move; "or are you spending the night with the crew instead?"

It seemed to have an immediate effect as Amu snapped her head back in the right direction and hurriedly made her way towards her cabin. Behind her, Ikuto couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Upon reaching Amu's cabin and Ikuto unlocking the door, Her Highness was quick to scurry in and abandon that stuffy cloak around her shoulders, carelessly abandoning it on the bed and fanning herself with a hand, thankful that the room was cool and airy. Ikuto pointed to the table where there lay a tray (silver tonight – must have been a treat) containing her usual misshapen goblet of wine and beside it four ship's biscuits – or 'hardtack' as she had heard them referred to as. She tried not to grimace at the sight of them; those unsavoury, stiff little jaw-breakers that made her teeth ache every time she tried to take a bite, all for the sake of gratefulness. Amu briefly pondered over whether rations were getting shorter or even just of poorer quality. She'd found herself going to bed hungry last night and the one before.

"Thank you." Amu said softly, expertly not showing her disgust at those little biscuits that laid there on the tray in front of her. She'd just have to dip them in wine and hope they softened enough for them to be edible.

Ikuto was idly looping the keys round his finger, making them jingle and jangle in the otherwise soundless corridor. "No problem." He replied, something like a sigh evident in his tone which made her raise an eyebrow in confusion – especially when she noticed that his eyes weren't on her, but the meagre meal of hardtacks instead. "If you'll excuse me," he paused to lean over and take the doorknob in his hand; "I must see the Captain before he retires."

At the mention of the Captain, Amu's attention was suddenly drawn to the Lock around her neck and she stepped forward, calling behind him with a sense of urgency; "Wait!"

He paused and there was a second or so of near-awkward silence in which she tried to gather her thoughts enough to form a proper sentence without sounding far too forward.

"About the Captain…" Amu began uncertainly, her hands meeting behind her back and she slowly wound her fingers round each other – a habit she had for the most part managed to shake off, but under the intense stare of those two mesmerising eyes (and feeling increasingly nervous) she found it returning before she could stop it. She managed to pry one hand from the other and took the Humpty Lock between her fingers. "Do you- Do you know why he wants this Lock?" There was no reply. Ikuto just stared back, though his grip had strengthened on the doorknob as his knuckles began to turn white. Amu sensed irritation, but now that she had asked once, she found that she couldn't just let this opportunity pass. After all, how often would she find the right moment to bring this up to him?

"Why is it secret?" Amu asked and she brought the trinket up in her hand, looking over it for a second at its clear crystals and smooth and glorious golden colours. "I… I don't understand the significance."

The seconds ticked by during which Ikuto didn't respond. Amu narrowed her eyes at him – that constant staring and staring and blank _staring _hitting a nerve within her and she felt that she wanted to snap at him and make sure that he did _not _stare at her with the same unmoving eyes of those faceless thugs that trudged aboard the deck. Her irritation would surprise her when she looked back on the event later on.

"_Are you going to answer me?"_

…

"_Ikuto!"_

He finally replied, but all he did was try to shrug it off. Although, if Amu had been paying attention, she would have seen the gears turning as he tried so hard to think up an answer, but even then all he could settle for was a hesitant;

"Captain's business."

Bewildered for a moment, Amu found herself glaring at the man who had just so casually told her _'Captain's business' _like the matter was a whole separate world from her own; like she had no right to step her foot in simply because it was the _Captain's _place to be; like she didn't deserve an answer despite the fact that the thing Captain Ichinomiya truly desired was hanging around _her _neck! What made it not her business? What allowed him to determine that without her consideration? Ikuto _knew _and yet he still belittled her!

"_Of course _it's my business!" she cried, outraged. "I've been patient and I've been _compliant_! I've laboured on this ship and took care of all your dirty work for days on end now! And I've even kept this question back because, even though I know that it is indeed _my business_, Ikuto, I've been so terribly scared of the Captain that I haven't worked up the courage!" A pause to take a breath and Ikuto averted his eyes. "But I've haven't settled!" She stated firmly. "I've been up all night and I've been thinking over and over all day about this because I just can't _settle _until I know why – until I know what's going on! You realise that I've been taken away from my home, don't you? My _life. _Everything I know and love is a whole other world away and meanwhile I'm stuck _here _on this bloody boat and your _'Captain' _can't even give me a half-decent reason as to _why? _What the hell are you pirates playing at? What _pirate _acts this tactically? Aren't you just a boat-load of floating _dogs?"_

And across the room, Ikuto let out a breath and shook his head, stepping back to wordlessly close the door on her and lock her out from that whole other world of knowledge that she was not entitled to and it cut through something inside of her. Why was she left in the dark? Why _she? _He could have come clean; he could have given her a hint at least, but he didn't and Ikuto had decided to shut her out completely and for some reason – once the anger had subsided – that kind of… _hurt._

"Please." Amu whispered.

Her reply was the cold clicking sound as the lock turned to trap her in and then, once more, there was quiet. Empty quiet that filled the room and enclosed around her and made her feel like she was suffocating in the silence where nobody could hear her cry out. But then something snapped and she found that her little emotional ride wasn't over quite yet as that anger coursed throughout her veins again and she yelled in frustration, slamming her hand down upon the silver tray beside her and it clattered to the floor noisily – hardtack flying about the room and demonstrating their toughness as they hit the ground with not even a crack of damage.

"_God damn it!"_

An ear-splitting screech as she dumped herself down into the chair – its legs scraping along the floorboards – and within a moment hot tears had made their way to her eyes. Amu sniffed, swearing profoundly at her pathetic mood swings, feeling like a small child in the middle of a tantrum, but not even making the effort to regain herself as frustration swirled like a great whirlpool within her.

"_God damn you, Ikuto- God damn Ichinomiya- God damn this bloody ship..!"_

'_Why the hell did I have to end up on this bloody boat?'_

Crying over her frustration; crying over her desperation; crying over her own small, pathetic, helpless little self, Amu couldn't find the strength to lift herself up and into her bed for the night and as she finally calmed down and leaned back and finally began to drift off into that wonderful, painless, carefree world of sleep she couldn't help but notice the shifting of light beneath the doorway; the presence on the other side of the door; and a masculine sigh that managed to reach her ears even from the distance… Not that, with her mind in such a state of fatigue, she would remember the following morning.

~.~.~

* * *

**_Definitions_**

**Ratlines**: Small ropes fastened across the shrouds (the ropes forming the rigging) like the rungs of a ladder which can be used for climbing.

**Gangway**: The passage of deck connecting the forecastle to the quarterdeck.

**Companionway**: Steps leading down to a cabin or to a lower deck.

**Hardtack**: A hard, savoury piece of bread or biscuit used as rations aboard ships.

_(**A/N**: So, after the last chapter, I feel like this one makes it all a little anti-climatic... So I'm sorry :L This is more of like a short, filler chapter to avoid making things seem too rushed. I'll upload the next one as soon as I can to make up for it ^^)_


	12. Twelve

~.~.~

The mood was surprisingly positive in the dining hall that afternoon as the King sat to eat with his hosts. A great selection of fine foods laid spread across the table, overflowing with meats and greens and other dishes of a variety of interesting colours and tastes made from the luxurious tropical supplies that were brought in from the boats at the docks. His Majesty sampled an oddly flavoured mix of fruits as he turned to the blonde to his right.

"Tadase," he began; "I must say I am truly reassured." Tsumugu briefly looked to his wife who nodded in agreement. "Your determination and dedication towards ensuring our daughter's safety has worked tremendously to put our minds at ease – for the meantime at least."

Tadase, though flattered, was about to simply smile and, in the most modest manner possible, insist that this was a mere stepping-stone in the whole process, but before he could so much as open his mouth or shake his head he found himself being toasted by the King himself and the rest of the guests seated at the grand table raised their glasses, echoing his name. Crystal glassware chinked and the shrill sound sliced through his ear almost painfully, but as they all took a drink and showed such praise, the Commander found himself unable to protest and instead gave His Majesty a grateful look.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." He replied and as he glanced round the table to add; "Thank you, everyone," it occurred to him that with all these people placing such immense faith in him it would truly be not only humiliating, but also upsetting for him to return in some months' time after such a grand voyage of many expectations empty handed and with no Princess or so much as a pirate to hang in tow. He saw the eyes of the King filled with hope and pride in this man who was to be his son-in-law and you could almost hear the little voice in his head saying; "Yes. Yes, this is the man who will save my daughter, slay the criminals and take my place – and what a better decision could I have made?" But for a fleeting moment, Tadase almost felt that it was unreasonable – unreasonable for Amu's own father to place all the responsibility in her rescue on someone else, however it soon hit him that, had Tsumugu not laid such trust in him himself, he would still have insisted in leading the way. From the very start he had jumped to try and reach out to his fiancée and by no means he wasn't about to stop right now, but it did make him wonder; _'Just how much blind faith will the King of Seiyo have in me? Surely he is aware that he cannot always entrust such important matters on me in the future?' _Perhaps it was some sort of test, Tadase figured; a test of courage and will and drive to protect the country's future Queen. Perhaps not. But, either way, he would not dwell on it with such a great task on his hands and so he gave that grateful smile to the King and nodded reassuringly at his wife opposite the table and said;

"Have no fear, Miss Hinamori will be found and brought back home safely and soundly and those responsible shall swing in the executioner's noose, for all I care, so long as they receive the justice they deserve." There were claps and murmurs of agreement amongst the guests. "As it is," he continued; "we have gathered much of the supplies and other essentials needed for our ships – all that is needed is to ensure our vessels are sea-worthy and we'll be able to leave the docks within two or so days."

"Excellent!" Tsumugu abandoned his cutlery and empty plate and sat back comfortably in his chair, impressed with the speed at which the Commander had been able to get everything together. "Well done, Tadase."

"Thank you, Commander." Midori almost beamed at him with a gleeful little twinkle of hope in her kind eyes and more than ever Tadase knew that he would not allow himself to let down this dear, compassionate woman. "Where to do begin your journey, may I ask?"

"Well…" the man began, sounding almost weary as he recalled how difficult a task it would be trying to pin-point a single craft in the entire ocean; "for a start we have been in contact with various navy ships and gathering reports of pirate vessels – where and when they were sighted; where they may be headed; what, if obvious, motives they have – and we aim to pursue as many of these sightings as we can. As you can probably understand, Your Majesty, there cannot be a set destination until we've already set sail." At the pause that followed he decided to continue and add; "But, as it happens, we do have a vague description of the type of ship we're looking for – and vague it may _be_, but I believe this is our target." He once again remembered the terrified merchant sailors and that eerie image of the mystery ship in the fog. "We know that we are looking for a frigate – not of high status, but a frigate nonetheless. Three masts; dark sails; and curiously no name to identify on her stern…"

The Commander was now trailing off, becoming drawn into his own thoughts as he pictured the elusive ship. Why dark sails? Why no name? _Why _Amu Hinamori? It didn't make sense… But luckily it appeared that their feast was soon over and the servants had begun to clear the table and, once the platters and glasses and all else had been cleared, Tsumugu had joined Tadase and was intent on leaving the Hotori place to see these fine ships that the Commander had prepared for the difficult, but rewarding voyage.

"Fine crafts, Commander?"

The blonde man nodded firmly. "The finest Seiyo's fleet has to offer, Your Majesty."

"Wonderful. I assume plenty of the best men? Plenty of– Ah, good, good, that's what I wanted to hear. Now, I can have a coach ready and my guards – oh, there they are – my guards can accompany us to the waterfront. Will you be ready to leave within the next few minutes?"

Tadase assured him that he would and that he would give the King a full tour of his chosen ships. Pleased, the King had sent a servant to arrange the arrival of the coach and Tadase leisurely strolled down to the front courtyard of his family mansion. He had expected His Majesty to return all bright and eager and full of haste to make their way down to the docks – to the little naval section in which the ships were being prepared for the journey – but, when he eventually did return, Tadase was surprised to see the King look rather absent as though deep in thought. It had turned out that, going to arrange the transport, he had been pulled aside by his wife who, now quite worried and troubled with the thought that with nowhere obvious to look for their daughter they may not find her at all, had insisted that instead the men make their way to a little mansion up by the cliff top where apparently there lived a man who could offer his help. Mizue, after hearing Midori's concerns, had recommended this man who made a living as a fortune teller – "A wise man," she had said upon noticing the King's sceptical frown; "he's been known for his work for years – helped many missing souls return to their families safely before. And, what's more, he's respectable – held in high regard by the townspeople." – and with some persuasion, it seemed that that was that.

"My wife is concerned," Tsumugu said to Tadase as they rolled through the town in the luxurious coach, through the town square and down the waterfront and now up to the steep slope towards the cliff top; "and I know you said what you thought might comfort her, but she sometimes cannot be comforted." As if ashamed that he might be giving his Queen false hope, Tadase didn't reply, but stared out the little window at the faint outline of a house upon the headland, surrounded by swirling gulls and the sound of the roaring surf below that crashed mercilessly into the rocks and sent the salty spray wafting up and along in the breeze.

Soon they stood in the gravel outside the mansion; little else outside this front of the home besides the tall, iron gates that enclosed the property, lined with tall hedges and little bushes of white flowers. Staring up, Tadase marvelled at the fine example of architecture and craftsmanship quite unlike even that of his own home. All clean cream-coloured stone and slightly twisted columns; arches above the windows and a great amount of detail into the smooth, swirling patterns up above the porch and on the balconies. In his state of awe, Tadase didn't notice the King march up, surrounded by guards, and raise a fist to the door about to knock. His knuckles barely moved an inch before the door swung open.

"Good afternoon, Your Majesty." Said the calm, steady voice of the man in the doorway. He bowed respectfully and when he straightened the Commander caught his first glimpse of the mysterious fortune teller who for years to come would still stick in his mind – the composure; the serene features; the tranquillity of his voice that with time he would come to find slightly irritating… But for now he just stood in silence and watched as the man stepped aside and gestured for the group to enter his home.

"Welcome. My name is Tsukasa Amakwa." He said. "I've been expecting you."

Stepping inside (it was equally as grand as the exterior, Tadase had to admit), Mr Amakawa immediately began to head off down the large corridor and towards the staircase which they could spot through the elegantly twisted archway that lead to the opposite room.

"If you'd like to follow, Your Majesty."

A little stunned by the speed at which he went, they for some reason couldn't quite find themselves able to protest and merely followed in silence until the King managed to catch a glimpse of a large space in which there stood a large, round table and several chairs – ideal for a meeting place. With the fine furniture and the regal fireplace and the elegant ambience it looked to be a dining hall – somewhere in which many of their own meetings back at the Hotori home were held.

"Excuse me, Mr Amakawa." Tsumugu started as they reached the staircase. "If you don't mind my asking, should it not be better to have our discussion in your hall?"

Tsukasa paused on his step and merely beamed down. "If you don't mind, Your Majesty, I would like to show you properly the space where I settle my business." He let it sink in for a second as he continued before calling over his shoulder; "Please, this way."

And so they followed and exchanged odd glances, for their host was undoubtedly a quirky fellow quite unlike anyone they'd ever met before, however it had to be said that he was incredibly charming and courteous despite his odd mannerisms; so much so that even the guards and Tadase found they didn't even protest as the man led the King like a puppy on a leash through his home (quite improper for the likes of royalty), gliding through the halls and up the steps with all the swiftness and ease of a spirit.

Tsukasa would stop at the top of a step and turn around to give them time to catch up and then he would smile graciously and wave a hand in a gesture telling them to all carry on and follow so that they all walked just that little bit faster. Tadase would glance up at raise an eyebrow and he was sure that the man caught it because the next time he turned and waved he would look at the Commander with a cheeky glint in his eye. Tadase disliked that look immensely and he already wished to leave the home, for he had grown apprehensive of Mr Amakawa with his unusual mannerisms and his peculiar way in which he dealt with his guests. It made him nervous – something which he rarely admitted to himself whilst still on duty – because he never quite knew what lay around the corner or up on the floor above.

They were led up three flights of staircases and, during that time, Tadase could not help but eagerly look around the home when he was avoiding the man's eye-line and so his mind soon wandered and the tense feeling that had grown within him began to dissipate as he took in the sights of the elegant home. There were so many rooms – so _many. _Sitting rooms and bedrooms and study rooms and possibly even a library down a couple floors back. Through a giant, arched window the man managed to spot a massive, blooming garden that sprang to life with colour and life and all sorts of plants; native and exotic and far too many for a single person to count. The garden was lined with neatly trimmed bushes dotted here and there with roses of many colours and a small distance beyond was the line of the sea glittering marvellously underneath the blazing sun. It lit the greenery and made it glow; made it seem more active and alive and Tadase could easily kid himself that he could see the plants themselves moving and swaying cheerfully in the warmth as they basked in the much-needed rays of light. He spotted a little fountain trickling and gurgling away and he craned his neck to see it closer, but in an instant he was nudged further up the stairs by the guard behind him and, much to his disappointment, he left the garden and its stunning features behind. However, with it, returned his sense of security as he was pushed back into the present situation and he was reminded of his earlier uneasiness.

Seconds later they stood on a narrow little landing, staring at this grand entranceway to a hidden room, secured with a little lock around the handles. The light from the small window behind them was blocked by the group who huddled in the little space, careful to not go tumbling back down the way they came, and they cast the room into a cold shadow. In the shadow a little, faint flow was spotted beneath the heavy doors in front and Tadase saw their host smile with a fondness that warmed his eyes as he stepped forward and unlocked the door with a tiny key that he pulled from one of his pockets.

"Please," he began, sounding quite pleased and slowly pushing one of the doors open; "make yourselves comfortable."

Tadase kept himself from letting out a little gasp in awe as they wandered slowly into the domed space. He looked about almost frantically, trying to spot the source of this– this trick because _surely_ it could not be real? This could only be some sort of illusion – a play on the eyes and mind. The room was dark, yet bright; it was dim and cold, yet it glowed with a warm, comforting feeling that made one's body relax and calm and breathe slowly and easily. It was like… He'd heard the word before somewhere… It had been described to him as a sensation of great and total peace, happiness, tranquillity… _Nirvana_! Yes, a sense of nirvana overwhelmed them on their first few steps into the space where up above little white dots twinkled and gleamed seemingly all on their own – like stars painted onto the night's sky – some connected by little white streaks as thin as fishing line and others as though painted rope had been pressed down in-between.

'_Night…'_

Yes, that was it. The room was blue; a deep, deep blue much like the colour of the sky just before it all turns into inky blackness; after the stars have just begun to show themselves like timid spirits creeping out when they're sure that all have gone to sleep – when they have the freedom to come out and they dance across the sky like fireflies trapped beneath the haze of the moon.

"It's an observatory?" Nagihiko, a little behind, said uncertainly, for it did seem that the night sky was merely painted on the surrounding walls and yet still the tiny dots gleamed with all their might.

"Yes…" Tsukasa entered himself, shutting the door closed behind him and sealing out all other light so as to admire the spectacle clearer. "Isn't it wonderful? The stars are beautiful." He announced. "Stunning the way they glow so bright to be seen all the way down here – on this little hunk of rock that just sits and floats and watches curiously, yet… Yet is never able to…" – he went to raise a hand to all the dots above his head – "To touch them…"

'_Dear Lord, mother,' _Tadase thought for a moment; _'I do hope this man you've suggested is quite sane. I do not doubt that he is outstanding…' _He thought as he once more took in the strange observatory. _'But…' _The word trailed off uncomfortably.

By now, the fortune teller had shook his head and taken his eyes off what seemed to be his pride and joy and instead turned towards the King who was still speechless at the illusion being displayed. "Now, Your Majesty," he began, going over to a table on the other side of the room and gesturing to one of the seats; "I believe you require my services."

Tsumugu snapped himself back to reality and wandered over to the indicated seat, followed by the guards and Tadase who eyed their host with suspicion. Had Mizue told him they would come beforehand? Anyway, the King had sat and the fortune teller took a cup of tea from the pot and cup that sat on the side of the table which Tadase, now he was closer, noticed had various markings and inscriptions; symbols and patterns carved around the edges and in the middle a carving of the sun with great, thick rays of light reaching all the way out to the strange etchings on the sides. He recalled things similar seen at travellers' stalls on street corners who claimed to foresee the future of whoever offered the most money and in that moment he sincerely doubted Tsukasa's credibility as a fortune teller, for how could he hope to be genuine if he followed the habits of the homeless who simply wished to con the most amount of money they could from honest hands? He saw the King who was clearly far too hopeful and prayed that this man wouldn't let them down else he'd see to it that he found himself snatched from the comfort of his classy mansion and dumped among those other fakes for good. This was too the wellbeing of his future bride that was placed upon the table. If Tsukasa led them off on a wild goose chase then Tadase would not forgive him.

"Your daughter…" Tsukasa said once he had taken a sip from his tea which the Commander guessed was one of the herbal kinds as the scent reached his nose. He frowned a little and hoped, for that man's sake, that whatever herbs had been used were of the harmless kind. However, Tsumugu was staring back wide-eyed and open his mouth to speak when Tsukasa laughed lightly in interruption. "Please, sir, what else would you have come to speak to me about? But, anyhow, I have thought about this for quite some time… If you look at the night sky," – he pointed up and instinctively the group craned their necks to spy the stars – "the positions of the stars are said to change throughout the course of our lifetimes… I don't know if you believe in guardian spirits, Your Majesty, but it is said that somewhere, someone watches over you from the heavens and guides you down the long, winding road of the stars towards your destiny." Tsukasa laughed again. "But, as I said, it may take some persuading for a person to believe in such things. On rare occasions, a person may become aware of their guardian spirit as they watch themselves move in time with the sky above their heads. It is rare – it takes time and luck and fate and so, as you can guess, there are no more than one or two examples of this. But I have noticed, Your Majesty, the stars moving increasingly rapidly as of late – a very recent thing, I must stress."

The King, who until now had simply been listening and watching in a stunned and fascinated silence, spoke up; "Recent?"

Tsukasa nodded; a new gleam in his eye, but one that Tadase, frustratingly, could not decipher.

"I do believe this may coincide with the changing in your daughter's life course."

And from that moment Tadase was a little disheartened to see that suddenly the King was hooked – drawn in by the possibility of being able to trace his daughter and find her safely all through the use for something as simple and mystical as the stars. Oh, how pitifully gullible! The Commander wanted to scoff and sigh, interrupt to say that this was all, frankly, ridiculous nonsense and advise that he and the King leave as quickly as possible to leave this madman to sit and drink his tea and stare blankly at the walls. He only wished he had more evidence than just suspicion to be able to justify getting them all out of here. The questionable ingredients of the tea wouldn't stand either, he realised. The scent was stronger now and he'd concluded that it was just a blend of simple greens and perhaps some fruits – all of which could be found in his own garden at the Hotori mansion, so clearly weren't of any danger.

"Your Majesty," Tsukasa continued; "I cannot go so far as to give you an exact bearing, as you understand, nor her exact location on this globe, but, as it happens, I can give you this;" – the King noticeably leaned closer and Tadase silently cursed his gullible nature – "Your daughter is not as far out to sea as you might think and…" He paused, earning a raised eyebrow from the man across the table. He closed his eyes, rubbed his brows and breathed deeply and it appeared that he had effectively convinced his company that he was in fact predicting or prophesising or perhaps even meditating for all the hell they knew, but it had worked as when he looked back up again they were hanging on his every word, waiting with bated breath. "And I believe nights when the moon is new are when luck may be in your favour. I believe that on these nights you will find yourself closer… That is all I can give you."

"Thank you." Tsumugu said graciously as he rose from his chair. "I do feel comforted by your words, Mr Amakawa. Thank you."

"Your very welcome, Your Majesty." Was the reply as the man sipped again at his tea, lowering his head as if to bow without leaving his seat.

Tsumugu, seeing the man still seated, had obviously felt the need to show himself out and turned with the guards for the doors. Tadase cast a dirty look at the fortune teller who paid them no attention as they left his constellation room or observatory or whatever this madness was and caught up with the King.

"Your Ma-!"

The King opened the door with a great push and glanced back over his shoulder. "Yes, Commander?"

"U-uh…" the sudden look of joy that now settled on the man's face silenced him straight away. That hope – the hope that he had so wished to see in his rulers' eyes at the very start of all this – was shining as strong as it ever had been up 'til now and suddenly he realised that he couldn't bring himself to voice his opinions; he couldn't say that this fortune telling lark was all a con and untrustworthy and that they had all been so easily deceived – played by an insane and (daresay) genius of a fake mystic like marionettes on strings – and taken the bait that he _knew _they wished to hear. He could say all of this and more – much, _much _more! – but…

"Never mind. It was nothing, Your Majesty."

Still though he shot their host one last look of scepticism and mistrust. The man just met his eye and the Commander swore he saw the mischief dancing across his face; saw the older man turn into a joker or a trickster that had led them all into some sort of trap – led them into making stupid mistakes that they would regret.

"How impolite to not so much as show his guests out – especially when his guest is _royalty!" _Tadase almost spat once they stood back outside, heading towards the coach.

The King, however, shook his head as if to dismiss the comment, visibly trying his best not to grin at the endless possibilities that swirled within his head all thanks to Mr Tsukasa Amakawa's marvellous prediction. "I must say, Commander, so long as I find my daughter, I could not care in the slightest." He barked out laughter for a moment. "And so long as she is found in the way he said then, by Gods, that Mr Amakawa shall be expecting awards of the finest kind!"

That made the irritation flare up within the Commander's blood and he peered back at the home of the would-be psychic. How could he be so low as to lie to those most in need of a little courage and hope?

And, hold on a minute, how could he simply stand out here and not inform him of this?

"Your Majesty," Tadase began, mind set and already turning back towards the mansion; "You and the guards may head off if you wish. I'd like to speak with this Mr Amakawa one last time."

~.~.~

* * *

_(**A/N**: Ah, this chapter makes me feel much better after the last one. Feels like I'm making progress._

_I've been looking forward to properly involving Tsukasa for a while, so I hope that he appears just as mysterious and intriguing as I pictured him to be.)_


	13. Thirteen

~.~.~

"TSUKASA!"

Like a tidal wave that rushed towards the helpless town, so Tadase surged towards the double doors of the fortune teller's constellation room and threw them open with a force that nearly shook the very walls – bursting through with all the strength of a raging storm. He purposefully marched inside to find Tsukasa, sat in his chair in the middle of the room, one leg draped casually across the other and his head turned towards the light above. Despite the clear annoyance of the Commander and the growl of _"Tsukasa!" _which he let out in a moment of angered frustration, the fortune teller was surprisingly calm under his gaze and he – in his own time – turned towards the man with such a casual air that Tadase dug his nails into his palms, wishing to not lash out, for he understood that anything he did under the influence of his anger was likely to be uncalled for and irrational.

Tsukasa rose from his chair, taking a sip from the fine china teacup in his hand and said; "Ah, Tadase Hotori. What can I do for you?" And he eyed the younger man with an all-knowing look that said he knew exactly why Tadase had shown up on his doorstep for the second time that day. "I should think you'd be getting back to the King by now."

"Tsukasa!" He spat with a fierceness in his voice that he didn't even know he had and he took a giant stride or two forwards until he was but a foot away from the man who stood quietly, sipping his warm tea and watching with an interest that seemed to light up a spark in his gentle eyes. They gleamed and glittered in the dim light of the constellation room like two rare fireflies – dancing in a way that was almost calming to the Commander, but then he remembered the reason for his visit and he then decided to vent his frustrations whilst they were still so strongly present, hoping he could at least bring this strange, _strange _man back down to Earth for just a second. Why was it that he failed to understand the importance of finding Her Highness? _Why _and _how _and it was almost tormenting to think about.

Tadase lowered his voice now and he took a breath to try and calm his temper as he directed the older man. "King Tsumugu came here with the expectation that you would deliver to him an accurate prediction of the whereabouts of his daughter." Tsukasa nodded, but otherwise listened in silence. "But though His Majesty had the highest of faith in you, it was not quite hard to spot that devious twinkle in your eye, Tsukasa."

The fortune teller nodded, seemingly impressed and with a _'chink!' _set the teacup down on the saucer in his other hand. "You're a smart man, Tadase, to have figured that out."

His cool acceptance was quite startling. Would he not be worried that his little game had been found out? Should he not be afraid that the King may be told and he may be punished?

"You didn't exactly help your own case," Tadase pointed out, thinking back to their meeting earlier. "Why did you give the wrong prediction earlier?" He asked in a tone now so low it would have chilled any other person to the very core. "Why did you give false clues to His Majesty?"

There was only silence.

"For the love of God, Tsukasa," Tadase pressed; "do you not _see _the importance of this?" The calm, tranquil face that met his answer had him at a loss for words because for the life of him _he could not understand. _"All ask for is for Her Highness to be found. The King – _His Majesty _– and his wife cannot go on. You have never been a parent, Tsukasa, nor have I, yet surely you understand how strongly they must want her back…"

"As must you." Tsukasa replied finally, that all-knowing expression plastered on once more and a smirk beginning to cross his lips. "The Princess means a lot to you, doesn't she?"

His reply was immediate. "Of course."

A chuckle escaped the fortune teller's lips and he stepped backwards, tilting back his head to gaze up at the many lines and dots and any other strange markings that took on an astral role in the confusing, yet awe-inspiring map.

"Sir, I have no fear in giving myself up so very soon to you, for you would no doubt see right through me no matter how many inaccurate readings I gave. However, it is the King that I do not wish to disappoint. Tadase, you realise how desperately the King must be comforted and, more so, I do not wish for him to interfere with events far more important than your searching for the Princess of Seiyo." Tadase's jaw dropped and Tsukasa chuckled again at the expression, speaking again before the younger man could interrupt. "The stars' movements are changing." he began. "Normally, the stars would make their own way to their destinations, but this time…" he sighed; "This time the interference caused by you and His Majesty is enough to drive those stars down the wrong route. Though you mean well, it is best to let them make their own way. Everything will be alright," he concluded; "in time."

A second passed before Tadase merely scoffed. "What does this have to do with the _stars?" _He questioned, baffled beyond belief at the sudden and frankly quite outrageous turn in the conversation. He shook his head as if to forcibly rid himself of any words of Tsukasa's that may have sunk in to be taken seriously. "All we want is for Amu to be returned safely to our shores and for the _God awful _pirates who have taken her from us to be hung and, I assure you, I will stop at _nothing_ to find her!" He paused for effect before adding; "You seriously cannot expect me to believe that we may do her harm."

But Tsukasa just sighed. "Amu Hinamori is finding her own way in the world. She may be of great importance."

_"'May'?"_ the blonde – who until know had not believed the situation could get any more ridiculous – growled. "_'May_ be of great importance'? _She's the Princess of Seiyo!"_

Tsukasa looked back at him and half-shrugged. "The Lock and the Key grow ever closer. Soon the Dumpty Key will reveal itself and another chapter in the story will begin." He stated, explaining as one might explain any ordinary, everyday event – as if the concept was incredibly simple and easy to grasp.

Irritation now nagging away at the back of his brain once more, Commander Hotori raised his voice once more. "Stop speaking in riddles!" he said, exasperated. "The Lock and Key? What on Earth are you talking about? What does Her Highness have to do with a Lock or a Key?"

"You've heard the rumour, haven't you?" Tsukasa came a couple steps closer and took another sip of his tea again. "The Lock that Miss Hinamori constantly wears – the one that was passed down through her family for centuries, which is cast out of gold and shaped like a clover – you've heard that it is said to bring good fortune, haven't you?"

"A Lock that brings good fortune…" Tadase repeated, sounding somewhat distant until he rolled his eyes and dismissed the idea with a casual wave of the hand. "Like you said, Tsukasa, it's merely a rumour. I doubt that there's a hint of truth to it."

"Ah, that you are right, Mr Hotori." Tsukasa nodded in agreement and it in some way surprised Tadase to know that the fortune teller – despite his love of the heavens and for astrology – agreed that something such as a 'lucky Lock' was most probably not possible. "Now," he continued; "have you heard of the missing Key that goes with it?"

"The… Key..?"

"Yes." He nodded. "When the Humpty Lock was created – quite some centuries ago, I believe – there was a Key made to go with it; the Dumpty Key. But," he said gravely, looking once again up to the constellations spread across the ceiling and Tadase was quite troubled to notice the sombre expression on the normally cheery man's face; "no one knows of its whereabouts. The story has been lost and long forgotten by most, but if you look closely enough can still be seen in the stars…" He placed his teacup and saucer on the side table beside his chair before once again taking a seat and continuing.

"For many years the stars have been used to tell stories. In ancient times each constellation had a meaning or a story to go with it. The most recent is that of the Humpty Lock and the Dumpty Key. The Humpty Lock supposedly brings good luck; the Dumpty key supposedly brings its owner power. As you can probably understand, Commander, this is why it is greatly sought after by many, so that they may take control of countries, continents, empires, whatever they wanted." A sip from the cup of tea was taken.

"Another old rumour, or a legend, is that once the Lock and the Key come together they will reveal the map or the location of a treasure – a _Great Treasure_, beyond anybody's wildest dreams. _That_is the main reason why today many more people are searching for the Lock and Key."

Tadase was silent for a moment as he thought about the tale he had just been told. Odd, he noted somewhere in the back of his mind, that whereas minutes ago he had been convinced that this man and all of his stories were purely signs of lunacy, now he was certain that the pieces were starting to all slot together.

A Lock.

A Key.

"A Great Treasure?"

And then it hit him harder than it had moments ago. Amu was in possession of the Humpty Lock – one of the keys to obtaining this grandiose stash of riches and, of course, she had been captured by a group of seafaring criminals. What more would any pirate want? He remembered old, _old _tales of the buccaneers from ages passed and remembered legends of buried gold and hidden stashes on desert islands. It made sense.

"What is this Great Treasure?" Tadase asked, his voice now firm and hard with urgency because, now that he possibly knew why his fiancée had been abducted, he finally felt he could make some well-needed progress. "What exactly? Gold? A treasure map? Ah, Tsukasa, it all makes sense! Surely _this _is the reason for her kidnapping – the pirates are after this treasure!"

Tsukasa nodded and could not help but feel a little proud that Tadase had finally understood why he was telling this old story. "Hm," he laughed a little, putting a stop to Tadase's exclamations which truly the Commander was thankful for. Tadase breathed deeply, calming himself now that his mind was dizzily spinning with possibilities and tried to focus as Tsukasa continued;

"Many believe that the treasure is of jewels and gemstones, gold or many other precious metals. Some also believe that it is of the Humpty Lock and the Dumpty Key's special luck and power combined. Myself," he went on; "I personally believe that this treasure is not so much to do with items or powers as many have speculated, but instead the relationship towards the Lock and Key and the affection they have towards one another."

Tadase cast him a blank look and he was prompted to continue.

"The Lock and Key… The two's relationship, I must say, is quite spectacular. _And _they are a matching pair, after all, if you believe in that sort of thing." He smiled fondly, gesturing at the space in the constellation map where there could just be seen the rough outline of a clover-shaped pendant with faint, scratchy lines connecting the little white dots that were scattered across the darkness. "I have spent many of my evenings watching the heavens, Commander, and in this time I have noticed the gradual transition between light and dark in our galaxy. These two," he, side-stepping across the room, also picked out from the map the outline of a Key, similar in design to the Humpty Lock; "have for many years lacked in radiance – as sad as it sounds – but, these past few weeks have appeared to shine far brighter than I have ever seen them. It's quite extraordinary. They move, Tadase. They move across the sky itself and the closer they near one another, the brighter they glow and the more of the night sky they are allowed to see! They are undergoing great changes and they undergo it all with each other – step by step, side by side, until they glow with all their might and interlink above our very heads each night, for the more we undergo the brighter we can shine!" He grinned up at them, his passion overflowing. "And of course, when our partner is beside us for support how can we not shine so brilliantly?"

"Partner?" Tadase murmured. A knowing look from Tsukasa had him stammering. "B-But, I'm Miss Hinamori's fiancé! C-Could-"

"You are not in possession of the Dumpty Key. It cannot be you. And we will not know what sort of treasure the Lock and the Key will bring until the stars' next movements and until the Key reveals itself." He gave a small sigh. "When I talk of relationships and feelings though, Tadase, I don't necessarily mean in a romantic way… It is a possibility, but, allow me to elaborate; I think it concerns the way the two influence each other. As they grow closer they learn more about one another and in turn more about the world around them and even more about themselves. Romance is not everything in this world, but, then again, that very well depends on your opinion. It may mean everything to you, but to another it may be a mere fantasy." Tsukasa stared upwards and shook his head softly. "But of course I may be entirely wrong."

The room was quiet for a few seconds until Tadase spoke up yet again. "Where is the Dumpty Key now?"

The fortune teller shook his head. "Nobody knows. Whoever has it has been keeping it secret for generations. It was stolen soon after it was passed down through the first generation of the Hinamori family centuries ago."

"Pirates?" Tadase suggested.

The older man simply shrugged his shoulders. "Possibly, but I do know for sure that Miss Amu Hinamori is being kept by the pirates to aid them in their search for the Dumpty Key. They know she has the Lock – they couldn't miss it – and they think that she may be able to help in some way. Now, you wanted an accurate predication?" he made eye contact with the Commander. "Soon everything will work itself out and pretty soon the Great Treasure shall make itself known."

Tadase had cooled off by now and – as enlightening as this conversation had been – at this point he knew all he needed to know and didn't particularly want to stick around for more lessons on the heavens and so, politely, he decided to excuse himself and hoped that if he left as soon as possible he may be able to catch up with the King before he made it back to the Hotori's home.

"Thank you for your time, Mr Amakawa."

"Commander!"

Tadase turned back, a little irked at the sudden interruption because, God, if the fortune-teller went off again on another rant then who knew how long he'd get kept back again.

"One last piece of advice." Tsukasa began. "Tadase," his voice grew solemn – so solemn and grave that the Commander actually froze with worry; "I am worried – if not for Her Highness, then, ultimately, for you. You are a great and able Commander." He said, his words heavy. "Do not lose that all for the sake of one Princess."

Near the other side of the room now, Tadase turned, slowly and his brows furrowed at the fortune teller. His heart thumped loudly, though he did not know whether it was out of genuine fear or if it was the sudden change of attitude and the sudden thickness of the atmosphere that did it. "What are you talking about?"

Mr Amakawa's eyes were bright in the dark, but they were narrow in a way which greatly reminded the other man of the large, predatory cats he had seen cruelly caged and chained in foreign markets.

"I merely urge you: Do not get so caught up in this whole affair that you stray from the path that the stars have laid out for you. Do not give up your rightful duty or your sense of self. Not for anything."

Doubt crossed his mind only for a second. The words were grim, but Amu's situation was grimmer and his faith in Tsukasa's theories of the stars were not yet fully cemented despite his knowledge of the Lock and Key. After all, anyone who had a few select history books or who had heard the right legends would probably have been able to recall such stories. Tsukasa was knowledgeable, but his astrology was not an exact science as far as the Commander was concerned.

"With all due respect, Tsukasa," He said firmly; "I have already told myself that I will give up nothing; neither my duty, nor the Princess. Good day."

In the background the fortune teller stated coolly;

"I am worried about you, Tadase."

But the Commander let the words wash over.

"Good day, Tsukasa. I must be getting back to see the King."

And with this, his host let go and gave up to watch the man leave his home, but his eyes were still so narrow and they were clouded with something not unlike apprehension. "I see." He replied, almost dismally. "Good day. Thank you for your visit."

"Thank you for your information."

"No problem, Commander."

Nodding once in return, Tadase let out a deep breath and turned to make his leave, knowing that Tsukasa would no doubt leave him to show himself out again. He felt like his brain had been muddled and his senses shook after having such a conversation with the man. And what a strange man he was. He would sit there, stare at the 'sky' painted onto his ceiling for hours and it seemed as though he would blend into the background himself – become a part of the starry abyss – and Tadase would admit any day that he was quite baffled by this mysterious man who for all the world looked as though he belonged in the heavens himself – who appeared before any curious fellow to voice the stories of the stars and to make quite sure that they could go on and form new stories as they drifted through the galaxy. Tadase took a last glance at the constellation of the Lock which hung above his head and wondered how much truth his tales held.

And it was when he had just made it to the doorway, as his eyes began to adjust to the daylight that poured in through the windows of the hallway, that he had a new thought that made him pause and slowly turn to meet Tsukasa's eye, who had since stood up again and set the cup and saucer back down on the little table, with a puzzled expression.

"By the way," he asked, eyeing the man suspiciously; "how is it that you are aware of all that? How exactly is it that you know Amu is being used by the pirates to help find the Dumpty Key?"

Tsukasa chuckled – a chuckle of pure amusement – and before Tadase could snap at him for his lack of response, the Commander was caught by complete surprise as at that moment a piercing squawk rang through the air and from the open window behind in flew a bird of striking emerald colour. He jumped to the side as it swooped in through the open doors and watched as it came to rest upon Tsukasa's right shoulder. The fortune teller oddly enough grinned at the sight of the bird and began to affectionately ruffle the bright yellow plumage of its chest to which it let out a softer cry – a soft sound as if to thank the man for the attention and it seemed to the Commander that anyone who were watching would believe that these two very different creatures were engaging in some sort of conversation far beyond anyone else's understanding.

Tadase opened his mouth the question the bird's presence, but the words promptly died in his throat as he watched Tsukasa discreetly remove something – what exactly Tadase could not be sure – that had been attached to the parrot's leg. He heard a slight ruffling that sounded like it could have been the rubbing of parchment upon parchment. Whatever it was, Tsukasa had expertly slid the object past his wrist and into the arm of his jacket. Tadase did not mention it, but that suspicious feeling that crept up each time he glanced at the fortune teller was growing by the second.

Meanwhile Tsukasa, apparently oblivious to the Commander's stares, chuckled once more at the bird on his arm before glancing sideways in the other's direction and stating nonchalantly;

"I have my ways."

~.~.~

* * *

_(__**A/N**__: Ah, I've waited so long to publish this one. This was the first chapter I wrote for this fanfic and it's so satisfying to finally have it up. Though, frankly, I'm amazed that I actually managed to write enough of it at all to be able to post it._

_Unlike most of this story, this chapter has stayed relatively unchanged except for added detail and the corrections of irritating grammar mistakes of time long past… Oh how I hate going over old writing, but I'd quite like to hear your thoughts on this _articular chapter if you've actually gotten this far ^^;__

_But enough of my random talking. I hope you enjoyed and I'd like to thank those who have read/reviewed/followed etc. so far.)_


	14. Fourteen

~.~.~

Having travelled the globe; taken the tide as it came and drifting out into the deepest, furthermost uncharted regions (well, once uncharted at least, and when the rich, posh snobs had sent out only the best of adventurers to investigate these foreign realms it had been goodbye to some of the most famed pirate settlements in the small islands to the south and now Kazuomi could only skirt briefly round those lands during the winter months when the new settlers had abandoned the choppy seas for warm and toasty fires at home on familiar ground) there was little in this world that Captain Ichinomiya had not braved during his time. The last of the wild natives in the tropics; the snarling of the most vicious predators in the frozen lands up north; the chill and the wind and rain in the howling gales of hurricanes like some primeval beast that swallows up all in its path. But for all the grand adventures and voyages he had taken in this last decade or so on Earth, it had to be said that there were some mistakes he had wished many a time to just take back and bury under the floorboards, stuff under the rug and never allow into the light of day again.

The most meagre of these faults, he had to say, would most definitely be that foul creature that perched upon the end of his bedpost; cawing and twittering and scattering those pesky little feathers all over the fine woven sheets. If there was one thing that Captain Kazuomi Ichinomiya positively hated it was those damned feathers. Not to mention the parrot itself.

"_Clear off!"_

The thing launched itself off the bed – wings flapping madly and sending more of those bloody green things soaring throughout the cabin – and settled instead on the spare chair across the desk.

'_Curse this bird,' _Kazuomi thought, casting the parrot a filthy look; _'Thick as a bloody brush and yet still I keep the dozy thing.'_

He caught sight of the scroll on its scrawny leg and reminded himself before he started priming his pistol that the thing was still of use and that it would be a waste to shoot it now. He settled himself with the thought that once it got too old for service he would cook it. He'd never had parrot before – never heard of anywhere that actually served it, to be honest. Perhaps it was a delicacy on some islands with a more primitive population, but, until he could find enough reason to end the poor creature's life, he was sure he could find it. It was then as he began to consider which the taste would be closer to – chicken or pheasant or perhaps turkey? – that the bird squawked – a harsh and shrill sort of sound – as if for attention and the Captain finally wandered over and took the little piece of parchment. It cocked out its leg as if to offer it to its master and Kazuomi almost looked impressed. It was always such a dumb bird after all.

The Captain drew his attention away from the parrot and cast his eyes over the first sentence of the message. His mouth twisted into a wry, sardonic grin and the wickedness touched his eyes.

"So the Royal Navy have started their search?" he said, his tone calm and yet somehow still chilling to the very core. Daichi the parrot let out a cry so alarming as if to show its sudden discomfort, but the pirate Captain didn't seem to hear and chuckled to himself, tossing the scrap of a note onto the desk and muttering that those 'little sailor boys' weren't close enough to cause a panic yet.

They had the Princess – sure to starve away in her cabin within the week and give up all her secrets and place that little golden Lock right into the palm of his hand just as planned. He glanced out the window, watching the sea spray rise and fall and spurt out in great tower-like formations from under the stern like steam escaping from a chimney. Focusing on the far-off horizon – unbroken by rocks or islands or great continents – he wondered when the first sail would pop up in the distance. The Royal Navy was finally searching for their lost Princess and he wondered if he'd be seeing them soon.

~.~.~

In the stifling heat of the midday sun that beat down onto the docks the men were moving faster; pushing themselves harder than before all in effort of finishing the task at hand as quickly as they could, for all each man really wanted was a seat in the cool shade and a serving of ale and a chance to rest their aching bones after all that exertion. Barrels were wheeled and heaved aboard; arms counted and checked off long, official-looking lists; sails were hoisted and trimmed and hang limply from the yards – an unwelcome reminder of the lack of breeze on this hot day which would have been greatly welcomed by each and every worker. Even His Majesty as he stepped out from the pleasant temperature of the coach that stopped by the first quay patted the perspiration from his forehead with a little silk handkerchief. He glanced around and seemed visibly pleased with the hard working scene he saw before him. He glanced at his wife and gave her a reassuring look as if to say: "These men are good. These men will find our daughter."

They found the Commander – head of this voyage – in a little inn across from the dockside sat by the window with the Captains of the ships that were being prepared to set sail that afternoon; glasses of port in each of their hands and a platter of fine little finger foods on the table. Seeing the two royals, heads were bowed and glasses placed aside. Tsumugu was introduced to each of the Captains – five of them crowded round the table and the King was a little uneasy with the knowledge that only five ships would be sent out initially. Five ships could not effectively scour the seas, but he knew that a further _fleet _of ships would soon after be sent to their aid and so he shoved aside his doubts and reassured himself of the positives of their plan as he looked ahead at the Commander – the finest, most loyal young man he could ever have chosen to take his daughter's hand in marriage and with an excellent head for tactics if ever he saw one.

"I applaud your work, Commander." The King said earnestly, gesturing out to the five vessels that could be seen clearly through the window. "They are fine crafts, without a doubt."

Tadase smiled gratefully at the King's words and peered over his shoulder at the ships for himself. "Thank you, Your Majesty, and they are the five finest that I could get my hands on. Surely, I believe, there would be none better for such a journey." He stated with the confidence of a leader that Tsumugu loved to see in him and he took a seat at the spare chair beside him.

"Tadase," he began; "I would love to oversee the crews' work for this afternoon." He said. "I shall watch as these vessels leave Seiyo, for sure, but it would very much settle me further to watch as they're made seaworthy and you are doing this all for the sake of my daughter, after all, and I feel it would be wrong of me to ignore the work you're doing here."

"Your Majesty," Tadase replied; "you shouldn't have to ask." He rose from the table and made eye contact with each of the five Captains. "I shall take His Royal Highness on my inspection of the work, my men. Do call for us some more port when we return."

The men said they would and Tadase led his small group of the King and Queen and the two ever present guards out of the inn and into the bright light of day where the work still continued.

"They are…" Midori watched the crew of the middle vessel – the Seraphic Charm – weave their way through the shrouds and the ratlines like spiders across a web of rope with such skill and agility that she would brace herself if one wavered as if expecting them to fall and come tumbling down onto the deck. "A very spirited crew."

Tadase was about to ready himself to scold a few workers when that was said, but as he saw them hard at work he instead smiled as he realised she was instead complimenting their work ethic. "_The _best in His Majesty's Navy." He commented, proud with his crews, for he was sure that, with a team so tightly strung and capable of guiding ships through treacherous waters, to not find Amu was near impossible.

"Tadase…" His Majesty began and the tone of his voice was so soft and suddenly so very weary that the Commander found it hard not to whip his head back round and stare at the King with a questioning expression. "You have an excellent crew; excellent crafts… You have possibly the greatest drive and determination that I have ever witnessed… And it means so much to us," he turned and looked at the younger male with honest eyes and a hint of sorrow in his voice that truly tugged at the Commander's heart and even filled him with disgust because a person would have to be so horribly low and vile to tear such a loving family apart; "Thank you, Tadase."

Tadase was, for a moment, too stunned to reply until it dawned upon him and he eyed the couple with a knowing stare; "You didn't come here today to oversee the work, did you, Your Majesty?"

The King laughed lightly. "Well, I admit for both myself and my wife that we do have interest in this dock today," – he gestured towards the quays where the five ships bobbed gently on the shallow waves in a hypnotising rhythm – "but what I really want to see for myself is that passion you have in this journey. You are a great leader and you know, Tadase, throughout all of this it somehow appears that I have found myself depending on you. I am astounded that I would allow myself to become so reliant, but it has made me realise that, really, I have far more faith in you than you may believe." He looked past the man and out to the sea and his eyes shone with the reflection of the sunlight on the water. "I realise that, when it comes to my daughter, I rely on you." – and now he faced Tadase once again and their eyes were fastened in a lock from which Tadase found he could not bring himself to pull away from – "I rely on you to keep my daughter safe because I know that you are the best man for the job… And I really don't believe I could have found a better man for her."

"Your Majesty…" Tadase could not find the words to respond. His mouth opened and closed hopelessly like a flapping fish out of water as he tried and tried again to form a sentence, but no words were made, no sounds could form in his throat. He marvelled at the display of sincerity; the frankness; the pure blind _faith _that was unbelievably dangerous for a King to place in someone, yet somehow… he had. And he – the great King of Seiyo – had placed it in _him._

Finally he found the words that he was sure he had repeated many, many times these past few days, but it was all he could get out right now and, as far as he was concerned, would settle the couple well enough to enable him to get back to his work and get out there to find his future bride with haste.

"Your Majesty, I am flattered. I can assure you, that I will do everything I can possibly do to retrieve her safe and sound."

It seemed to do the trick and soon the King and Queen were called by one of the guards – Tsumugu had a meeting with a Lord from the next town over to attend to and they quite reluctantly left the docks in peace. And so Tadase was left there at the edge of the quay, realising the weight of his promise, but vowing for the umpteenth time that all would not be in vain. He would carry out his promises and bring Amu Hinamori back safely. He would do all he could. He would make those responsible pay and then return – back to the Hotori mansion where the King and Queen would stay – with their daughter in tow and keep her from harm until his dying day because he would never forgive himself if she were ever to be targeted by those disgraceful cutthroats ever again.

He vowed and vowed the same over and over again until those vows were etched in his mind like carvings upon stone and he repeated them every so often to remind him of his goals and keep his determination as strong as ever in the hopes that it would power him through whatever what was to come. As he boarded the Seraphic Charm later that same afternoon – surrounded by navy men scurrying about the deck – and departed from his seaside town and into the unknown, he glanced back at the retreating figures of His and Her Majesties and he knew that he could not bear to see them again without Amu on his arm. Standing on the forecastle and staring out ahead at the sea, he wondered what on Earth he might encounter. He saw in his mind the legendary tales of buccaneers and buried gold; of maroons abandoned on faraway shores; of the evil deeds and evil ways of a pirate's life as they skipped from shore to shore, plundering and thieving and torching buildings and leaving all to wreck and ruin. And then in amongst the fires and the smoke and the sea-battles of vicious, pirate Captains there caught his eye a flash of pink – a pink-haired beauty emerged from the middle, stood up by the bow of some rugged vessel, calling out to the sea for anyone who may be listening and pleading them for help.

To think that Amu may be involved in such a free-for-all way of life caused dread to pool in his stomach and Tadase took a calming breath.

'_Wait for me,' _he silently asked the gorgeous woman; _'Wait for me, Amu, because I'll reach you soon. Soon I'll find you and I'll bring you back – back to where you're meant to be.'_

The imaginary woman smiled gratefully and Tadase beamed back.

~.~.~

"The start of the journey is moving quickly underway…" Tsukasa mused, stood upon the balcony of his home and staring out to the sea where only hours earlier the five ships had vanished over the horizon – mere smudges of white and brown in the distance. "Of course, the Commander paid no attention to my warnings… But no matter. The stars cannot be shifted so easily."

And so the voyage had begun and the pages started to turn – a new chapter in the course of the heavens and of those two bright constellations that would light up the sky each night like lanterns hung outside country inns at night to guide the way of travellers – and here the mystic fortune teller would stand on his balcony in the orange sunset, waiting for the night to fall so that the stars may act out their stories upon a heavenly stage that encompassed the globe and allowed for all to see – whether they be a Princess or a pirate or a King.

"Whoever you may be," he whispered as he cast his eyes over the fading sky and settled to lean on the rails; "the stars will still gaze down just as brightly; just as strongly… No matter who…" he trailed off, but gathered his thoughts just as quickly. "In this wild race across the seven seas, I wonder how great a coincidence must be for them to cross paths?"

All was silent for but a second as a tiny little dot had suddenly flared to life against the clouds and the man looked up with an 'ah!'.

"My, my, the first star already." A light breath of laughter. "And right in the centre of the Lock's keyhole." He traced the outline with a finger and gazed upon the one little star with the warmth and fondness one would give an old friend.

"Let's see where the tide may take it."

~.~.~

* * *

_**Definitions**_

**Forecastle**: _The space at the front end of a ship below the main deck, traditionally where the crew's quarters were located._

**Yard**: The beams across the masts to which the sails are attached.

**Shrouds**: The ropes that form the rigging of a ship and support the masts and topmasts.


	15. Fifteen

~.~.~

In the month that had passed, Amu could have confidently said that she had become quite used to the ship known as the Shining Black. Though many of the days and weeks aboard the ship were almost the same, it in a way helped. She knew their routines; she knew how they worked and lived; she knew about their rather vague pecking order, although there really wasn't a standard order at all. The Captain was at the top, of course, yet there was no single quartermaster, rather that the small group of burly brutes that intimidated Amu so all seemed to have a shared 'quartermaster' role and people would treat them as such without much question, but she was used to it and had stopped questioning the unorthodox ranks long ago. She was used to it. She was used to the order; used to being woken up at the first light of day with but a scrap of food to keep her going and she was fairly sure she had been reduced to but a bag of bones and skin, underweight and near malnourished. Though, the thing that Amu found most bothered her – kept her up and tossing and turning in the dead of night when she actually had the time to think – was that so far she still had no clue of whatever Captain Ichinomiya wanted with her. It still drove her mad. She knew he wanted the Lock, but she didn't know _why _and Ikuto still wouldn't give in, but she knew better than to complain lest she face the wrath of Kazuomi Ichinomiya and his freshly-sharpened cutlass.

But otherwise there was not much else to say. The crew remained lively and rambunctious; the Captain as cold as the blade of a knife; and life had carried on in the exact same way as the day Amu first set foot upon the Shining Black. They had narrowly avoided one bad storm (although Amu herself had actually not been present to witness their near peril as the squall had been sighted hours before she had even risen from the comfort her bed) and over the course of the last two weeks they had seen three ships dotted against the horizon – not of the Royal Navy (much to the pleasure of the crew members), but they had instead been identified as most probably merchant ships headed east for the new, great trade markets of foreign, exotic continents, hoping to make business with new neighbours. It was a melancholy feeling for Amu to gaze upon these far-off vessels – staring with her own eyes at the ships so strongly linked with the civilised world she knew and came from, yet out of reach from here on her new, untamed world of unlawfulness, so very distant and alien in comparison. It seemed as if normal life was out of reach as the three schooners vanished from sight… and Amu had felt more isolated than she ever had before.

Apart from that though, nothing else had happened. Nothing at all.

Life carried on as normal on the Shining Black and Amu was beginning to wonder if she would ever escape the place.

Having become accustomed to waking at ridiculously early hours of the morning, Amu found that her sleeping patterns had adapted to match her wake-up alarm of Ikuto rapping on the door with a tray of food and perhaps, if she was lucky, a change of clothes. She didn't know where or how Kazuomi had a supply of women's clothing, but she didn't ask. Perhaps they were Utau's – in which case the Princess was a little wary of using them, for she had the feeling that the blonde across the corridor (whom she hadn't seen at all since that one late night) didn't welcome her on this ship at all, but she had no choice and so each morning went through her regular routine of dressing and eating before Ikuto returned.

But straight away it dawned on her that this morning was strange. Even whilst awake, exhaustion still hung over her like a thick, grey fog. She groaned and, in a movement that took all the effort left in her body, she managed to peel open her eyes wide enough to let the light of the early morning sunrise in. The light stung and a painful headache had flared up behind her eyes. She closed them again with another groan. It felt like her body was drained of energy and as if her head had in her sleep been battered with something horribly hard and heavy.

It seemed that at last some sort of illness had fallen upon her – something she had anticipated near the very start of her stay here what with all the filthy men and the questionable state of cleanliness down in the very bottom depths of the hold, but had recently been forgotten; pushed to the back of her mind and replaced with other things such as the mystery shrouding the Lock around her neck. But right now she couldn't have cared less about the Humpty Lock or whatever the hell Kazuomi wanted with it. Her entire body ached – drained of energy – and her mood had long since plummeted all the way down to the keel of the ship and was now probably drowning in the constant attack of the waves. Although perhaps she could avoid work that day; Amu thought to herself, for surely with her groggy, lethargic state Ikuto would see she was unfit for duty. Amu thought this over in her weary mind, adjusting her position under the covers–

"_Ah!"_

–only to wince quite audibly in pain as her skin seemingly caught fire at the touch of the fabric. Now stunned and increasingly worried (because whilst her joints may ache there was really no reason for her skin to sting like she'd just rolled on a patch of nettles) she forced herself to sit upright, half-heartedly flinging back the covers and ignoring the sudden dizzy spell as her head swam.

The first shock was to spot the tiny red patches that covered her skirt. Her heart began to thump loudly within her ears and she tried desperately to ignore it as it pulsed throughout her head. Running a finger over one particularly bad patch of bloody pin-pricks on her thigh proved a significant mistake as almost the entire thing began to protest painfully, the soreness flaring up to the touch and making her moan – half with the hurt and half with dread. What kind of dreadful illness (_disease even?_) could she possibly have found herself lumbered with? And, yes, it was true, that for the past few days she had been feeling a bit 'off', as it were, but she had never assumed that it would escalate into _this _– to her blood apparently escaping through unseen wounds!

Now with confusion and worry helping her to power through her symptoms, Amu was about to raise her skirt and check the damage underneath when a rapping at the door made her freeze – normally the thought of Ikuto seeing her in her nightdress would make her mortified, but now was not the time to fret over something so trivial in comparison and so she simply sat and waited for him to appear.

"Rise and shine." Ikuto said as he entered the room, speaking in that shattered tone of voice that always made Amu wonder if he'd only just risen himself or whether he'd gone to see the Captain right before his arrival. He placed a tray of the usual breakfast on the table. "Get ready and–"

The moment he stopped Amu knew he'd seen the state she was in. She forced herself to meet his eyes and was a little taken aback to see them wide with concern. It was a strange expression to see on his face in particular – strange at least when she considered the usual indifferent face he usually wore before her and the Captain and, come to think about it, just about everyone on the entire ship.

"Ikuto–"

"Sit up straight."

It was a serious command and her body obeyed it before she could stop herself. "Wha- What are you doing?" she stuttered, eyes following his figure almost cautiously as he drew closer, visibly hurrying over, and crouch down beside the bed. There was an urgency there that worried her and she hadn't realised that it had drawn her attention until she felt his hand brush against her thigh – a soft touch in careful manner that she could not miss – and she yelped a little in shock, shooing the man away. "What on _Earth _do you think you're _doing?"_

Ikuto shot her a frosty look so full of impatience and frustration that for a moment she felt like a small child being scolded by their parent; being told to be a good girl and step back in line because they were only trying to help, after all, so she should stop being so stubborn and silly and take the help they offered her. The feeling was so unusually strong that it made her want to scoot away and hide under the covers for a while – another child-like display of embarrassment. He must have noticed, Amu realised, because a second later he'd forcibly rid his face of that exasperation and stressed clearly;

"I need to see how bad it is, Amu."

Amu met his gaze. It was a calm gaze now and that awful childish feel that she hated so badly melted away enough for her to simply nod and move her hand from where it had clenched the edge of her skirt. Ikuto seemed to get the message and he couldn't stop himself from chuckling.

"I'm not going to do anything bad." He explained, by now apparently understanding that force and urgency wasn't going to do anything to put the woman at ease. And then something unlike anything she'd ever seen before flashed across his face and he added in a teasing tone; "Was Her Highness perhaps thinking of quite naughty things?"

She didn't have it in her to snap at him, so she just brushed and listened to him chuckle at himself before he carried on. He looked pretty amused even after she'd given in. Damn pirate.

Amu watched apprehensively, for she of course hadn't inspected the true source of the tiny blood spots for herself yet and she wasn't sure she wanted to see whatever lay beneath the fabric of her clothes, as Ikuto, with a hesitancy in his movements, slowly tugged back the layer of material to inspect the bleeding skin. As for the top half of her body, the heiress became aware of a sudden sensation of giddiness and it was only then she realised that she must have been blushing quite badly because suddenly her face felt hot now as well. She was thankful that Ikuto stopped when he reached the mid-point of her thighs. Any higher and there was no way he'd be allowed to step foot inside her cabin ever again – however badly plagued by illness she might have been.

"Bloody hell…"

His stunned tone brought her back to the present yet again. She looked down and felt a bit sick. Patches of skin had burst out in dreadful crimson splotches – some of the oozing stuff bright red like tiny beads of glass shining in the daylight – and, now exposed to the cool air above the sheets, a wave of irritating itchiness swept across the surface of her legs. Ikuto placed a fingertip ever so gently onto the biggest patch next to one of her knees. The following sensation made her nearly kick his hand away. Ikuto mumbled something unintelligible.

"Let me see the back," he uttered absent-mindedly, far too focused on scrutinising her symptoms and staring at the angry outbreaks in mild fascination. She raised her legs by a fraction, but he deemed it acceptable and cocked his head to get a better view of the skin underneath. By the look on his face she could tell it was worse, but by now she was far too absorbed in the way he carried out his actions – the way he so gently trailed his hands across the skin; slowly and carefully as if one wrong move might make the awful bleeding blotches even worse and by the patterns she felt traced down on the underside of her leg she guessed that he deliberately weaved around the inflamed places, careful not to disturb or touch sensitive patches unless he needed to. The short spell of vertigo from earlier had disappeared, but she still heard her own heart thudding away within her chest – now not so rapid, but steady and strong and sending little jolts of warmth throughout her body as she focused on the hands of this pirate who viewed her here with such concern that she really felt extremely grateful because he didn't have to look after her wellbeing at all and yet... It made her wonder; just how callous was Ikuto?

His thumb brushed a soft, sensitive patch of skin (though she couldn't say he was acting on purpose) and her heart jumped, her chest fit to burst as her face pooled with heat.

But, oh God, it suddenly dawned on her that – _dear Lord _– he was seeing things; seeing parts of her that none other had seen before and it was indecent and shocking and embarrassing because _'Oh my, he's touching me– How far is he going to go..?'_

All of a sudden Amu felt yet more of that pleasant warmth building up somewhere on that limb that Ikuto currently examined and when she glanced back down she saw that he'd (seemingly) subconsciously placed his spare hand on her calf. Just as she paid notice to this she felt his thumb drag itself across a good patch of skin beneath her thigh and she broke out in goose-bumps at the sensation. She couldn't describe it, but by no means was it unpleasant.

"I-Ikuto," she began, reluctantly because his hands _did _feel pleasant, but at the same time she was aware that she _shouldn't_ be feeling such– such vile _things _at all. She was a noble woman. No one, after all, but her husband should see that much of her skin until she was married and yet here was this scoundrel with such a pleasant touch making her head reel so badly.

"Ikuto, what is it?" She asked, referring, of course, to the sore pin-pricks.

"I…" Ikuto trailed uncertainly which did no good to settle the woman's nerves. "It can be treated."

His pathetic excuse of an answer was far from reassuring, but she didn't have the chance to pester him about it because he then stood – Amu realised she was actually disappointed when she felt cold with the absence of his hands – and said; "Stay there," before heading for the door and apparently abandoning her in the cabin.

Seconds ticked by and Amu stared at the spot in the door where he'd disappeared – only bothering to close it halfway as well! Anybody could walk past! Anyone could just stroll past that door and peer in and see her sitting there like a spare part with the skirt of her nightdress around her thighs. As it was she felt rather uncomfortable with the amount of skin on show. Being laden with long dresses and shawls and sleeves and layers upon layers of petticoats had left little space for the air to reach her skin – not to mention those dreaded corsets.

'_I swear,' _Amu thought grimly as she shoved the skirt back down; _'if I get peeped on by some per-'_

'_Pervert.'_

Pervert.

Pervert…

"Oh God," she groaned aloud. She was heating up again at the memory of those gentle hands gliding upon soft, supple skin. "I am a pervert." To think; the daughter of the King and Queen of Seiyo; heiress to the empire – a _pervert. _How shameful, she considered, to think a young woman with such high standards and solid morals and looked upon with respect by all her people would in reality be tainted with such vulgar notions at the touch of a _buccaneer._

"My parents would be ashamed," Amu mumbled, full of self-disgust – not to mention that air of confusion. After all, it was only human nature – people could not help having emotions that they didn't wish for?

Just then Amu felt a thud reverberating even through the bed on which she sat. It appeared that Ikuto had actually been hurrying back to reach the cabin and as usual his thick footwear had battered the boards of the floor probably to within an inch of their life. Ikuto re-entered the room and when he reached the bed held out a hand. Between his fingers the Princess caught sight of a fleshy, yellow fruit and she frowned.

"You brought me a lemon?"

The statement was so full of bewilderment that he actually bit back a smile. "Here," Ikuto dropped the fruit and Amu caught it in her palm with ease; "You'll need this. It'll help you heal."

Amu studied the item in her hand as thoroughly and closely as her father inspected all his contracts and treaties and whatever other official files that were his duty to sign. As for the lemon itself there was nothing out of the ordinary, but she viewed it anyway. Lowering her hand she let out a dry laugh and raised an eyebrow at the man stood in front of her; "So you're telling me that I'm sat here bleeding without explanation and all I really need is a lemon?"

This time Ikuto actually laughed and Amu discovered that it was actually extremely pleasing to hear the sound – Lord knew he probably hadn't done so in a very long time. When he'd calmed and taken a breath, Ikuto gestured to those awful blood splotches that stained her skirt as she stood (albeit awkwardly, but, since having woken and losing the shroud of sleep, she began to feel like she may be able to stand for a few moments).

"Sorry," he began, though Amu wasn't sure why he would be apologising at all, but she let him continue; "I made the mistake of not giving them to you the moment you began staying here. You've developed a touch of scurvy…" The mere sound of the dreaded sailor's illness she'd heard so much about back home was enough to plaster a horrified expression on her face and Ikuto began to backtrack over his own words to try and relax her again. "But it's fine – as I said, you can cure it easily. Citrus fruits prevent it."

"S-Scurvy, huh?" Amu repeated, now looking at the lemon in her hand with relief rather than confusion. She held it up again and questioned; "I eat it?"

Ikuto nodded, took the fruit back from her and then unsheathed a small pocket knife from the inside of his boots and halved the lemon. Amu took half and grimaced as the harsh juice ran back down her wrist and made all the minute, but painful blisters and rashes on her hands scream in protest. The Princess knew that the thing would taste far from pleasant, but if it rid of this awful plague of sore spots and blood patches, then what did she have to lose?

Meanwhile, Ikuto stared with intrigue at the way the woman eyed the object in her palm as if it were some sort of dangerous, threatening item not to be taken lightly – like a weapon or a fistful of powder. She looked like she was having an internal battle with herself: 'To eat or not to eat?'

"What?" he spoke with a hint of humour in his deep and throaty voice. "You've never eaten a lemon before?" The annoyed scowl made him want to laugh out loud again, but he restrained himself and just smirked at her, knowing that she just didn't want to taste that unappealing, sour thing. "Alright," Ikuto let out a weary breath, accepting the fact that he wasn't going to get a verbal response; "you eat that and get dressed and I'll come back in about half an hour. Don't take those lightly. If you stop eating them you'll just feel worse." He paused at the door and smirked again once seeing she was back to scanning her lemon. Amu caught his gaze and then looked away, quickly and embarrassed, as she noticed the amusement in his expression.

'_This girl's hilarious.'_

Ikuto shut the door behind him and leaned against the wall of the corridor, a mischievous smirk still playing upon his lips as he placed his head beside the doorframe and strained to hear any sign of sound through the wood. As predicted, five minutes later a great deal of spluttering was heard plus a curse or two directed at the flavour of that 'damned little lemon'. A cheeky grin lit up his face and he laughed quietly to himself.

'_She really needs to get used to that.'_

~.~.~

* * *

_**Definitions**_

**Schooner**: A type of sailing ship – fast with two or more masts.

_(__**A/N**__: I am so done editing this chapter._

_I only briefly looked up scurvy for this fic… I didn't pay too much attention aside from general symptoms. Years ago I remember walking into a biology lesson and being greeted with close-ups of scurvy victims. I didn't fancy looking at it any more than I needed to._

_And I finally feel like I can work towards Ikuto's character becoming more like he is in the original. I've had him fairly distant until now and I miss the cheeky cat-boy we all know and love.)_


	16. Sixteen

~.~.~

The smoke that churned from within the hold of the battered sloop coloured the sky grey; plunged it into darkness and shadowed its deck – highlighting the sense of tragedy and catastrophe that had engulfed the once cheerful and light-hearted scene. The air would have sickened Tadase – a man already hardened by the needless destruction and smoke of naval warfare – but it was the pirate hunched and captured, held by the two honest men of his own search party, that reminded the Commander why they had reduced this poor vessel to a smoking, blackened bulk of debris and ash. He wafted still smoking embers from his line of sight and strode forwards through the wreck and ruin with all the authority he could muster – achieved only through years of good, loyal service to The Crown.

They had sighted this vessel two days ago, yet, due to unpredictable winds and inconvenient currents, they had only just caught up to it an hour or so ago. Tadase had nearly given up hope of pursuing the ship – or the Devil's Tune as it was apparently known – but, as luck would have it, they had been significantly hindered due to an oncoming storm and it was that blessed ball of rain and wind that the Commander had to thank for the capture of the craft.

The battle between the two had been unsurprisingly short-lived. After all, what little sloop could compete with a full-rigged man-of-war? They had been poor, relatively unsuccessful pirates with a shortage of arms and little supplies to last more than a few more weeks. Taking them out had been child's play. And so across the deck there lay countless bodies of buccaneers who, if captured, would have only been doomed to face the hangman's noose anyway – a humiliating, degrading end placed in the public square for all to see like some sort of morbid circus show – and so the men justified the slaughter as a cruel sort of compassion in which the men could pass away with what little dignity they had clung to until the very last.

Having killed the crew and searched the hold for any sign or trace of prisoners, all that remained for Tadase to interrogate was the pirate Captain – a scrawny, uncouth, sea-going fellow who had done quite a remarkable job surviving the bloodshed and making it through the day to see the Commander waltz his way through the rubble and onto the quarterdeck. The Captain was tied at the wrists, his shoulders secured by the men behind him, one of which kept a hand free to aim a musket at his skull. At such close range, Tadase didn't think he wanted to be around if the Officer decided to fire.

The moment Tadase laid eyes upon the man he growled – to think that this man before him could be involved in Amu's disappearance made him utterly furious. But he had to save his anger until he knew for definite who the dirty scumbag was and so he simply brandished his sabre and placed it against his throat all the while with a steely determination in his eyes – chilling and unforgiving – because he was there for answers. And answers he would get.

The pirate on the floor just looked at him blankly for a moment before his thin line of a mouth transformed into a mocking smirk. "Those're the eyes of a madman, lad."

He would not allow the man to taunt him so easily. He settled for running the blade down the side of his neck, pressing it against the skin only so far as to thinly cut, but he tightened his grip on the hilt and made it quite clear that he would not hesitate to take the man's head of if he must.

The pirate glanced down at the trickle of blood that dripped onto his collar and looked as if he wanted to laugh. "Is but a _scratch!"_

"I shan't be so gentle next time," Tadase warned; "you _filthy _buccaneer."

"Lad," the pirate Captain began, rolling his eyes; "I know what you've gone and busted up my ship for and I can tell you – I don't know where Her Maj'sty's gone. I haven't the foggiest, lad! But, I can _assure_ you, you won't find her here, Commander."

Tadase said nothing and glanced up at the Officer who aimed his musket at the rogue's head.

"It's true that we've searched the decks down below, Commander," the Officer said; "and we've found no trace of evidence to suggest that Her Highness has been here. He–" – he nudged the pirate in the back with his boot – "–is insistent that he doesn't know where Her Highness may be. You may not like it, sir, but I doubt these men would even be able to pull off a kidnapping."

The second Officer scoffed. "This lot weren't even able to rob themselves a good quantity of provisions! They nearly ran out of powder after ten minutes of fire!"

Taking this information in, the Commander frowned, looked to the Officer, then the rogue, then back to the Officer again and sighed. Slowly sheathing his weapon, he with reluctance forced himself to accept that, yet again, this could not possibly the man responsible for Her Highness' capture.

"We'll take him back to Seiyo as a prisoner." Tadase decided. "The crew may have been slain at sea, but their Captain shall face justice under the hand of the law upon our return."

"Yes, sir."

Tadase couldn't bring himself to look at the pirate as he was dragged back to the man-of-war to be secured in the brig, but the man called after him;

"God's speed, my lad! God's speed!"

He did not turn around until the man's cries had vanished and then, standing alone on the deck of the ship, he rubbed his temples and told himself one more time that this would not be easy; that they _would _eventually find his fiancée even if it took him to the end of the world and back again. He saw the bodies scattered across the floor – a grim warning to any other rogue who crossed the now abandoned sloop's path; a reminder that the navy would put an end to their unlawful lifestyles on behalf of the King; a reminder that the Royal Navy was on a mission and this was how far they were willing to go if the fate of their Highness hung in the balance. A royal flag fluttered in the breeze high above, the pirate's own colours torn to shreds at the base of the mast. It was a depressing scene.

The month had passed with little success. They had captured rogues that were now eating away at their own provisions and any day now one of their ships would have to return to secure the prisoners behind bars on land. They would be one entire ship down and it would be even more of a struggle. Yet all the while all Tadase could think about was how desperately he wanted to see his future bride again. He couldn't focus on the prisoners or maintenance or writing up all his reports about the voyage so far. He was anxious to see her again – he prayed that she was safe and in one piece. He just wanted Amu back and his desire and his longing only strengthened every day he searched without her.

"Commander?"

Tadase turned to find the Captain of his own vessel beckoning him back onto the ship. Apparently there had been sightings of another pirate ship to the south-west – an unusual location for this time of year – and he hurried back over, eager to get the journey there underway. Drifting away, he glanced back at the ruined sloop and wondered how many more would end that way until they had reached their Princess.

~.~.~

Utau knew she shouldn't have come out today. Really, she should have known right from the very start that this could only have been a bad move and it was definitely not coming from her better judgement, but here she was; stood on the quarterdeck of the Shining Black and just wanting to crawl back inside and into her cabin and lock herself in for the next month. Again.

People were staring and whispering and she knew that she really should have expected it – she had been cooped up inside that cabin for weeks now – but still, to be under their ever-present gaze and scrutiny… It made the hairs stand up on the back of her neck; goose-bumps jump up to the surface of her arms even under the heat of the sun; and she just knew that if she were to go back now she'd be subjected to the harsh sneers and jeering of her 'crew mates'. Utau knew she couldn't go back. After she'd summoned up the courage to venture outside her pride would not allow it. Besides, she had been looking awfully pale as of late and she knew that the sun would do her good.

'_All I have to do,' _she thought calmly as she slowly took the first few steps down the companionway, casually glancing round once or twice to confirm once again that most of the crews' eyes were upon her; _'is get to work – perhaps down below. I'm sure I could find something to do… Act normally and these foul creatures should lose interest in an hour…'_

She had now reachedthe gangway and the hatchway itself was in sight. Utau mentally did some calculations of some sort and concluded that she would be able to reach the hatch before anyone came near her. There was a group of scrawny buccans to her right who were the closest, but she figured that they wouldn't be quite as interested as the more… _unusual _men which only left those two big, bulky guys within reaching distance and _they _were on the other side of the gangway, so she reasoned that she was safe. She took a breath, glared at the two beasts that leered at her and marched her way towards the hatch; on the exterior with all the confidence and resolve of a woman, but inside the shaking, quivering mess of a pathetic child surrounded by bullies. But she wouldn't let them bother her anymore, she told herself. Never again.

'_Honestly,' _Utau wondered; _'how can _she s_tand to come out here every day? Does she not feel the way I feel? Do they not treat her the same?' _And with this thought, Utau's pace slowed as she looked over her shoulder in an effort to try and spot the woman who was beginning to frustrate her so, although she didn't know exactly why.

She found Princess Hinamori on the opposite gangway – the starboard side – hunched over her brush and bucket and apparently in physical pain as she tried to drive the object across the planks. Utau sighed. It was a pitiful sight. Had she not been doing that same work for half the time she'd been with them? And yet she still couldn't manage a _brush? _But, then again, Utau realised, this was the life of the rich – everything done for you; never having to lift a finger in your entire life and sitting on a pedestal for all to admire and yet the only reason you have a penny to your name is all because your ancestors worked much harder than you ever did.

But with that Utau felt momentary relief from her frustration. Yes, she may be sleep-deprived and underweight and too shaky to step outside the safety from her cabin, but at least when it came down to it she could look after herself – _she _could lift a bloody scrubbing brush. _She _had the upper hand…

Or at least that's what she thought until she saw the blood.

"Oh God…" the blonde murmured, more in surprise than horror, when noticed saw the dark, dried bloodstains smeared across her lower back – just visible through the fabric of her dress. In stunned silence, she watched the Princess continue her work. Her face creased when she lowered her hands into the bucket. Her nails were probably bleeding too. The sailor's disease was an unwelcome killer feared by the Captains of ships, but, so long as Amu looked after herself and found a good supply of fruit, she'd be fine. She had never experienced scurvy, but she had looked after someone who had and it had been a distressing experience for twelve-year-old Utau.

'_Poor woman.'_

Utau couldn't help but stand there for a few more moments and observe with pity the cruel way in which Amu was harshly pushed around and shoved aside and forced to work with sores bleeding across her back. If she remembered correctly (and she doubted she would ever forget) the best cure for the sailor's disease was citrus and plenty of rest. She wondered why Kazuomi would allow her to labour like this, for surely he wanted his captive to be in perfect health. Yet there she was with little time to rest and constant duties to attend to and those few that were lower than low to simply stand there and beat or bark at her when she slacked.

Utau stood there in silence and slowly, gradually, that feeling of pity which she truly loathed was beginning to spread and, perhaps even worse, she more strongly remembered the groaning and lethargic ill-health of her brother all those years ago – she wanted to look away and go and hide because she had _never _wanted to see that repeated ever again… And it only took one more forceful shove for her to snap and march her way over to the other gangway.

'_Why do I do this?' _

She reasoned that there should always be at least one woman to stand up to the brutes on this ship and Amu had been doing so well. Utau had tried to be that woman to show that Kazuomi had not completely sapped the Tsukiyomi's strength, but…

"Outta y'r cage, sweetness?" A brute stood in her way. A second had slid over and she almost growled at him, but had to remind herself not to lose her cool as she tried to slip past, half-tempted to hop over the next companionway just to be rid of them quicker. The only time they seemed to speak was to harass her in some way. She'd had enough, but there was nothing she could do. One reached out to grab a fine, blonde pigtail, but she tugged it back just as quickly and scoffed at – at _it. _She'd dream of slapping it right across its greasy, crooked face and slashing at its throat, making it tumble overboard and hanging it from the bowsprit later on that night, but, wish as she may, she would not dare lay a finger on them unless she fancied treatment far worse.

"_Filthy_ animals!" Utau spat, storming away as fast as her legs could take her and she sighed. She had so desperately tried to be the strong one – to lessen the burden on her brother - but somehow it had gone straight out the window.

'_How pathetic.'_

By the time Utau had reached the starboard side, she was already trying to fight an embarrassed blush. She received a questioning look from the swine that oversaw the Princess' work, but he said nothing and simply stepped back and watched as she went over, stopping in front of the woman who glanced up, puzzled.

"Utau?" Amu wiped the sweat from her brow and squinted in the sunlight. "Wh-What are you doing he-"

"Oh, stop stammering and get to work."

Amu watched, baffled as the blonde knelt beside her, reached into the bucket of disgusting, lukewarm slosh and fetched the spare scrubbing brush that had settled at the bottom. She leant forward and began working at the particularly hard, muck-encrusted spots which Amu hadn't managed to shift entirely with the stinging in her hands. Amu stopped and stared for a good few seconds, utterly stumped at her willingness to help.

"Utau…" She began uncertainly, though the other was apparently ignoring her so far as she worked. Amu settled for a; "Thank you."

Utau finally paused and flicked her eyes back over. "Don't mention it." She brushed the heiress' gratitude aside with a quick shrug. "'Sides, these planks need to be spotless in case the Captain comes out."

And then nothing more was said and they continued on in awkward silence – Amu allowing herself to rest a little every now and then as Utau cleared up whatever spots she couldn't quite manage, though the latter huffed every so often as she worked as if she were trying to express annoyance at having to help out. Amu wasn't sure how to interpret her behaviour, so she said nothing.

Utau, meanwhile, was unsure whether she was more annoyed at the Princess' slacking or herself. God, she was frustrated – so badly so that she couldn't shake it, but, glancing at the woman beside her, she began to think she understood.

Whydid she suffer? Why had her life become a living hell so long as she sailed with this crew on this bloody ship? Amu – she had only been here for one single, solitary month and yet- _Why _wasn't Amu afraid as she was? They didn't treat her like they treated Utau. Theydidn't torment _her_ day and night – tugging her pigtails; grabbing her thighs; shoving her around like a dog because they _knew _they could and the Captain wouldn't say anything. How did _she _have the confidence to stand out here and brave their work every single day and return at night with no more than a work-related scratch or sore and then _willingly _comply with the duties they gave her and Utau couldn't – she almost choked up – she _couldn't _so much as step out into the _corridor_ without shaking like a leaf and wanting to turn back and bolt herself in the safety of her own cabin. Why when _she – Utau – _should have been physically stronger to withstand it all… Why was she so different?

Utau had paused and tried to breathe steadily for a moment because the tears had begun to prickle in the corners of her eyes and she would be damned if any one of the others were to see it.

'_Why must I be so childish?' _she asked herself, feeling the heat rise within her cheeks as she realised the full low and shamefulness of the petty jealousy that gnawed away inside of her. _'Why do I succumb to such envy like this? Why can I not help it?'_

She knew she could not help it, so, yet again, she merely accepted it. Utau didn't even notice Amu eyeing her with concern. After all, she had stopped entirely and her fingers trembled against the edges of her brush. She wondered if she was just nervous to be so out in the open. From what she'd gathered, it was rare for her to be sighted on the deck.

"_Amu."_

Both women simultaneously looked up at the familiar voice and saw Ikuto ambling across the deck, obviously in their direction, avoiding fellow workers who were continuously moving back and forth and up and down the length of the ship. Strange, Amu thought, for he didn't usually come to fetch her for anything until it was time to go back to her cabin.

"Ikuto?"

Beside her, Utau stiffened, watching the form of her brother approaching with wide eyes. Without a seconds hesitation, the woman wordlessly rose to her feet, abandoning the scrubbing brush to the side and had ducked off down to the forecastle before Amu could even blink. The heiress was left there, gaping at the spot where she'd been and frowning as she looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of blonde. "Utau?"

'_What a strange woman,' _Amu mused; _'What was all that about?'_

But by this time, Ikuto had already made his way over and Amu too stood to meet his eye-line. He gave the big pirate behind her a sharp stare. It appeared to be a silent code of some sort as the man nodded ever so slightly before plodding off, much to Amu's delight. When her personal 'bodyguard' had left the scene, he spoke.

"Your day's not over yet, but for now you can rest for an hour inside." Ikuto told her. "I assume you have no objection?" It wasn't really a question, Amu thought, but she shook her head instantly.

"Thank you, Ikuto." Amu replied, smiling gratefully as she gathered up her equipment. She only grinned wider when he offered a hand, silently asking her to hand everything over to him. It was an act of kindness probably only brought on due to her being unwell, but an act of kindness nonetheless and she mumbled a second thanks as he guided her back the way he came. To think that Ikuto had managed to relieve her of her duties – even if only for an hour – well, it brought up her dampened spirits considerably and she was drawn to follow him back to the comfort of her own cabin – the thought of her warm bed just ready for her to collapse upon and drift away into the wonderful, peaceful world of rest luring her in like a moth to the candlelight.

But the moment her hand was firmly in his she felt that soft touch of skin again and her mind took her back to that morning. Her face heated quite considerably as she remembered those fingers along her legs; remembered the gentle caress of his skin on hers; remembered just how much of it he had managed to lay his eyes on.

Amu tried to shake away the embarrassment as he led her back aft and held her head low, lest she wanted him to see her blush.

"You thinking naughty thoughts again?"

The tease was evident and she wanted to snap at him, but one look at those eyes – gleaming with mischief – took the words right out of her mouth. She didn't see him looking like that often. It was a nice change. And so she couldn't resist a snarky reply.

"No dirtier than yours."

He chuckled and her spirits lifted.

"Don't work too hard." Ikuto said to her as he unlocked the cabin door. "Otherwise you'll end up feeling worse than you already are." He added, his eyes suddenly dull as if in remembrance of some long forgotten pain, but, after a moment's thought, Amu could only link it to the dim light of the corridor.

"Oh, I'm feeling fine," she said simply, really quite confident that she could soldier on through the aches and pains all the way back to good health; "and nowhere near as drowsy as this morning, thank goodness."

Ikuto didn't look as if he was going to interrogate her over her symptoms further. "Don't go for more than a few weeks without those fruits." He added. Amu nodded briefly, but she paused completely when the comment set a bell ringing within her mind.

"Weeks?" she repeated, her voice distant. "Weeks…" Ikuto watched her face, confused, as she frowned again and laid out a mental timeline of events in her brain. "Ikuto," she eventually began; "for how many weeks have I been on this ship?"

So that was what had so suddenly bothered her, he realised. "Almost five weeks." Ikuto answered honestly, seeing no need to sugar-coat the harsh reality that she had been separated from her former life and held hostage for over a month.

"Oh…" She sounded quiet now and there was a waver in her voice as she continued; "Five weeks away. What will everyone think?" Her heart that still longed for her family and home sank and she quickly brushed away any visible tears before the pirate beside her could see. But instead of just walking away or telling her to go inside or awkwardly trying to shove aside the fact that she had begun to cry whilst he was still there as she may have expected any of these men to do, Ikuto smirked and to her surprise she heard him chuckle.

"You have no idea, Princess," Ikuto shook his head as if trying to shake away the mild amusement; "your fiancé has been very busy." Immediately catching her attention, she spun round and no questions needed to be voiced for him to answer; "He's overtaken four ships since he set out for you."

'_Tadase set out for me?'_

'_Tadase is searching?'_

'_But how does Ikuto know that?_

'_Does he know where I am?'_

'_Does he know of Captain Ichinomiya?'_

'_They haven't given up?'_

And, when she was once more left alone, the thought had her grinning.

"They didn't give up..!"

~.~.~

* * *

_**Definitions**_

**Bowsprit**: A beam that projects forward from the bow to which the stays (the support ropes) of the foremast are fastened.

**Sloop**: A sail boat with a single mast and headsail.

**Man-of-war**: A Navy warship.

_(__**A/N**__: The first part of this pleases me far more than the second, but at least it's nowhere near the mess that it was before. And I needed to put Utau in somewhere because she hasn't been about too much._

_But at least I got to include Tadase. I like Tadase when he's motivated.)_


	17. Seventeen

~.~.~

The days passed and the weeks drew on. To the far northern reaches of the sea that stretched between Seiyo and the further continents Tadase had journeyed and maintained his watch on the waters that somewhere carried the ship he so desperately searched for. More and more vessels he sprung upon and tore apart and left to drift crewless across the ocean. Many a ship's colours had been torn before he Commander's eyes and left to hang lifelessly upon the masts, dominated by the symbol of Seiyo and now there spread fear and confusion amongst those who remained. Buccaneers as far as the exotic eastern seas halfway across the globe began to speak in anxious tones and hushed voices of the savage Royal Mariners who preyed upon them like wild dogs on the plains of the highlands – creeping out of the sea spray like the carnivores through the mist of the moors – and left their crafts to sail forevermore, navigated by the souls of those who fell on their decks. Trapped and unforgiving their spirits were and their wails of torment and their cries of anger rang in the wind as it blew through the sails, through the hatchways and echoed in the spaces of the gun decks where their lasts stands in battle were re-enacted. The planks still stained with blood and the tattered lives of many men struck such fear within the hearts of fellow pirates that they would flee at the first sight of any wreckage, even if their path of flight led them into further perils and, in this way, some few handfuls of other crews had met their end.

Yet Tadase was somewhat comforted, having heard of the rumours that the sea breeze brought to his own ship of the haunted vessels, for he could only conclude that this would have undoubtedly reached the pirates that still held his fiancée hostage and he hoped that they too had been struck to the soul with fright. And so he waited and bided his time and, more patiently than ever, looked to the day when he would finally reveal the true culprits and serve out the King's own justice. As it was, their brigs had been occupied almost constantly with their own captives and, only brief days ago, one of their party had turned back to the docks of Seiyo with a hull of pirate Captains awaiting their own judgement. The Commander had never guessed that there would have been so many unlawful sailors scattered about the world, yet he knew that there would be many, _many _more hiding in the secluded, remote places of the world and it was only a matter of time before he hit his target.

And, as it turned out, Tadase was, for the most part, right to be optimistic, for it was not long after the faithful party had set out that Captain Kazuomi, on his own Shining Black, had received word that the King had begun his search of the seven seas for his daughter. However, Kauzomi had always been a cunning man and he had doubted the likelihood of being caught out by the a mere handful of the King's servants, yet, as the time ticked on, he learned of the Commander's work and he had been for some time quite flabbergasted to learn just how many had fallen before the Royal Navy.

And then he laughed. And laughed. And laughed with such sadistic mirth that it was as though a chill had suddenly blast through the cabin and the air turned to frost upon the surfaces as the Captain cursed the Commander and the sorry lives of all his men, vowing that they would never until the end of days lay a finger upon his Shining Black and the prize she kept within her. Of that prize he kept great watch upon and observed with an awful amount of glee the days in which she appeared to grow weaker and wearier. Eventually, when it was apparent that the Princess had no energy left to spare save that which she used to drag herself across the threshold of her cabin and into bed, Kazuomi sat back and was pleased as it seemed that the lack of decent meals had finally taken a massive toll upon her shoulders.

Or, at least, it did… Until very recently (and very strangely). He saw a change and he slammed his fist upon the table, cursing her and whatever had been responsible.

Amu's life had continued on as normal after that – after the horrors of her dreaded illness had at last begun to fade away like clouds parting after a storm to let the rays of the sun shine upon the Earth – and she had reverted back to the usual, young woman who had first started out on the Shining Black. As is said, her life was as normal. Or as close to normal as it could get.

But, for Ikuto, things had begun to take an unexpected turn.

~.~.~

Ikuto was sure he was being watched. And it was not like he was unused to being watched, living his life under the eye of Kazuomi Ichinomiya as he did. He was a prisoner. He was like a dog leashed to his vicious master. He could never escape the stare of the man his mother had been forever tied to and, as harsh as it may have been, he had long ago accepted that fate and Ikuto went on growing used to Kazuomi's obsessive observation of his daily activities.

But this was different – far different to anything Ikuto had experienced before. This was a kind of eternal guard more powerful than the usual. This was footsteps following him across the deck; hushed whispers carried in the whistle of the wind from the opposite side of the ship; eyes, unseen, staring through the dark of the hold in the latest hours of the day already dead; and the crew member crouched in the crow's nest up above – eyes glinting in the sunlight and his eyes fixed away from his proper task. It was like a weight – a constant, niggling reminder in the back of his mind and at the back of his neck, sending uncomfortable shivers running throughout his backbone and he would turn and look over his shoulder, but each time he could never quite pinpoint who was responsible. He had no doubt that the burly acquaintances of the Captain were those to blame, yet he had yet to catch them in the act – clearly at least. They were far too skilled and Ikuto hated them for it.

But the far more pressing issue at hand was that the pirate had absolutely no idea what had kick-started their sudden sentry duty on his every move, and, though he was positive that his good-for-nothing stepfather had issued the order, he hadn't a single clue what they were looking for all this time. What he had done or what he was thought to be doing was beyond him. He had done nothing to provoke the Captain's ire – that he was aware of at least… But, then again, Ikuto wondered whether that awful man ever needed a reason at all to strengthen his hold on him. It angered him. It made the loathing he held for his dear 'father' strengthen and he waited and prayed for the day when he would be able to finally strike the Captain where it hurt the most. But it was nothing more than a pipe dream and Ikuto would have to remind himself that he should never dare to reach out for Kazuomi's throat. Besides, the thought only made the hatred that had long ago settled deep within him bubble and rise in the pit of his stomach and that he knew would cause nothing but trouble that he could not afford to bring upon himself or his family.

But the hope of one day getting the chance to pounce upon his stepfather and give him what for was enough to entertain him on dark nights when the tossing and turning of the frigate kept him awake and restless.

Ikuto smirked deviously.

In the glare of the low, morning sun, he plodded heavily down the companionway, his mouth stretching into a yawn. He hadn't slept much that night and he began to doubt that he would get a good night's rest whilst he still felt that presence that tracked his every movement like a phantom in the shadows. Ikuto remembered vaguely the rumours that said something very much unearthly still wandered down in the depths of the ship, but he knew the truth. He knew that there was no ghost, no other-worldly spectre; just the Captain's lackeys crouched in their hammocks, their guard never down for more than a minute whilst their boss still desired their cooperation.

The old man was crazy, Ikuto thought; growing senile in his old age, no doubt. Still he grumbled at the thought of his Captain and made his way into the dim light of the lower decks; down to the very bottom of the beast that lazily bobbed along the waves. In the galley the ship's cook had not yet risen and barrels and barrels of supplies remained, as of yet, unopened. Tens of containers littered the galley, yet Ikuto had been here long enough to remember exactly which to rummage through and a mere five minutes later he returned to the upperdeck, balancing a small tray and its contents on one hand. The selection for the Princess' meal that morning was meagre, as always, and the man couldn't help but pity her ever so slightly. She would waste away within the next month or so if the Captain refused to lift his restrictions on her diet.

Still, he headed for Amu's cabin and he paused at the doorway to look over his shoulder. A pirate hauled himself up out of the hatchway only seconds after and Ikuto frowned.

Why Kazuomi was so intent on spying he didn't know. But he was sure to find out.

~.~.~

His mood had changed by the time he had been welcomed into her cabin and he'd almost forgotten the suspicious activities of those outside. Quite simply, Ikuto was in awe.

Perhaps it was hope that had so dramatically changed the Princess' outlook on her current lifestyle. Or, at least, it was the only explanation that Ikuto could give credit to. She had become like a ray of sunlight, blinding him as he opened the door to her cabin each morning and each time, though he expected it, taking him aback as he saw the cheery and light-hearted way in which she greeted him and prepared for her long day of labour. She seized the day and worked with spirit and vigour and all Ikuto could do was watch from a distance, amazed. How someone trapped on what he considered to be a floating _hell_ could behave in such a carefree and jovial manner was beyond him. Even still recovering from scurvy she'd been up and ready by the time he'd even placed one hand upon her door.

"Morning, Ikuto." She'd said with a smile and a chirpy tone that morning when he'd gone to deliver her breakfast.

"Morning." He'd said, much like he did every morning, if not because he honestly didn't know what to say, but because he was shocked. He watched as she wandered over to the table and eyed the half-cut lemon sat in front of her with disgust. Ikuto tried not to smirk. "Come on, Amu," he said smoothly; "don't wanna be catching anything again, do you?"

Amu scowled at him and, mumbling intelligibly to herself, picked the fruit up like a petulant child, glancing sideways as Ikuto watched over her like a parent, arms crossed and all as he waited for her to comply. The expression on her face as she took the first bite never failed to amuse him.

"Well, why don't _you_ try it, then?" Amu almost snapped irritably, proffering the now quarter-lemon towards him and frowning as he calmed his chuckles, her face still slightly screwed with sour tastes. "If you're all so high and mighty?"

And he would proceed to take up the challenge and finish the fruit in a single bite, never so much as blinking as he chewed on the tangy flesh and allowing himself to grow cocky as she slunk backwards, arms folded and grumbling once again;

"Show-off."

He grinned cheekily at the pink tinge of her face. "It's all in your interest, Your Highness." And in all seriousness he added; "I'd rather not come in tomorrow to find you lethargic and bleeding again."

The pink of her cheeks flushed to red. Amu tilted her face to hide it and Ikuto raised an eyebrow, although she couldn't see it.

'_What on Earth's she thinking about?'_

But he decided not to pursue it and gestured towards the door once she'd made her way through her tiny breakfast.

"Come on, Princess. Work to do."

"Of course!"

And the peppy way in which she bounded towards the door after him would strike him with awe yet again.

In the space of a few days she had undergone this metamorphosis and, by his logic, Ikuto supposed that, ultimately, hope _had_ to be the reason for her unbelievable transformation. After all, it had all began after he had told her of Commander Hotori's efforts to find her and what wouldn't lighten a person's mood other than being told that efforts to rescue you from your captors were well underway? It was all down to the promise of rescue and a way back home and, as it was something Ikuto himself could not hope for, he didn't blame her. From what he understood, hope touched the heart – the soul, even – and made it light as a feather so that it could rise and shine and make even the most dreaded of prospects appear less gloomy. It was a vital key for survival. It was just a shame that it had become uncommon on the deck of the Shining Black.

But, at the very least, Ikuto had to say that he was astounded at the change in personality. In fact, he noted to her just two mornings later that she looked far brighter than she had been.

"Well," Amu thought for a moment, fiddling with the button at the top of her cloak; "I feel a lot better, if that's what you mean." It wasn't, but Ikuto didn't say anything as she went on. "And you've been giving me all those lemons." He mentally agreed that she was recovering quite quickly – quicker than some other cases he'd seen before – and that included his own. It had been a long, painful experience that he dearly wished to avoid. For some time after, and only being only thirteen when he had come down with the illness, he still had to keep himself from panicking whenever he found a rash from his clothing or sores from his work. Not that he would admit that.

"Anyway," Amu was still talking and he pushed away his thoughts to listen; "I guess I have you to thank for that, so thank you, Ikuto."

He blinked and said it was nothing before reminding her that she had to get out to work. She followed him outside to the end of the corridor but, as he locked her cabin door, he sensed her demeanour change quite suddenly.

"Amu?"

She stared uneasily back towards the Captain's cabin. The door was open by a crack and there was a shadow cast across the floor. A chill clawing down his spine, Ikuto beckoned her towards the deck and she scampered after him when there came a deep rumble of a voice and the Captain's door slid wider open. The two of them turned to see the Captain himself – one hand up against the doorway and his weight leaning heavily on one foot as if he were incredibly off-balance and for a moment Ikuto wondered if Kazuomi was about to hit the floor right there and then. But he didn't and instead he stared with murderous eyes and repeated with an edge to his voice that they didn't like at all;

"_Ikuto_." A menacing glare. "I need to _see _you."

The man's heart almost failed him.

"_Ikuto!" _There was a shout, but the Captain caught himself and carried on in a dark, scarily steady tone; "Come in here. Now."

Ikuto, too apprehensive to question him right there, sent Amu on her way. She seemed all too glad to comply and soon she'd left the men alone in the corridor. Kazuomi stepped aside and beckoned Ikuto in. He obeyed and walked towards the doorway, fighting hesitancy, his legs so weak it felt like he walked in quicksand – like a condemned man about to take the last few steps of his lifetime up to the executioner's room. The apprehension could only worsen as he entered the room. He smelt tobacco and rum and the countless mugs of ale and other foreign alcohols too many in number to name seemed to tell him why his Captain had been so off-balance. He wondered when the man had last been sober and it was then that he remembered that she – the woman behind the door opposite Amu's cabin – had cried again last night. Clearly the Captain had been drinking since late last night and the thought made Ikuto far from calm. Kazuomi was an unpredictable man. He hadn't left _her _alone, so why would he treat his _'dearest son' _any differently?

Ikuto stood in the middle of the cabin and waited uneasily. Captain Ichinomiya was still struggling with his balance, his mind still thickly fogged with the effects of alcohol, yet still he managed to wobble his way over to the last few bottles still standing at his desk. Ikuto stared in a mix of alarm and horror as Kazuomi downed two mugs of hard liquor without so much as a splutter.

"Ikuto," Kazuomi's words were slurred, but they still reached Ikuto's ears like violent claps thunder in a tropical storm; "Amu- You've been defying my orders, _Ikuto._"

The young pirate opened his mouth and then closed it again as he frowned, wondering why he would possibly ask. "Pardon, Captain?"

"_**IKUTO!**__" _He jumped at the outburst. _"Did you-? You found the- You've been taking lemons! Did you cure her scurvy?"_

Ikuto answered immediately to avoid further eruptions. "Yes, Captain." He replied and, though he did wonder whether or not Kazuomi was sober enough to even know what he was asking, his misunderstanding rapidly faded into something more like dread as he noticed the familiar way in which the older man's eyes flared with temper like an explosion from a cannon and he banged a hand upon the desk with a force that sent several bottles jumping to the ground.

"_You __**imbecile**__!" _Hell's fire raged within the Captain and Ikuto tried to calm his frantic heartbeat because he could remember the true extent of Kazuomi's wrath and with the way this man was acting… It was every bit as terrifying as he remembered. As if by instinct he side-stepped just in time to avoid the flying bottle that soared past his head to collide with the door and burst into a million, sandy pieces. _"__**I **__tell you to-" _– he staggered, clearly trying to advance towards his son who, again by instinct, subconsciously took a step back – _"__**I**__ tell you to deprive her! __**I**__ tell you to cut- cut her off! __**She was not supposed to receive her fruit!**__"_

"Why?"

And as soon as he asked he wished he'd just kept his mouth shut and taken the verbal abuse as he should've because now he realised things could only get worse. In that moment everything had begun to click and he remembered the shadow over his shoulder and the presence in the corner of the room each time he went out onto the deck. He remembered the creak on the stairs of the companionway behind him and the pirates who exchanged grave looks in the corner of his eye… And it made sense and Ikuto was left feeling like a fool, stood before the terrifying figure of his Captain.

"Why?" The Captain repeated, looking utterly disgusted at the man who dared to question him. _"__**WHY?**__" _Kazuomi advanced more rapidly now and soon Ikuto discovered that his feet could take him no further and his back pressed up against the wall. _"Because so long… So long as she does not give me any worthwhile information, __**she**__\- she__does __**not**__ get any of the supplies her body needs and __**you**__-"– _Ikuto managed not to let out an audible gasp as his father's hands grabbed the fabric of his collar, his alcohol-stained breath hot and vile against his face, so revolting he wished he could push the Captain away, but his fists were like iron and he continued to roar – _"would so well to stop interfering!"_

It wasn't until Kazuomi had released him and he had roughly landed back on his feet that he realised he had been shaking and that his breath was unsteady and shallow. "Forgive me, Captain," he breathed, only wanting to leave the room and avoid the Captain for as long as he possibly could; "but I-" – _'Am I stuttering?' _– "I assumed that you would- you would want to keep a hostage – particularly a royal hostage – in good health…"

But, unexpectedly, the Captain, who had been marching back to his desk to check for more liquor, whirled around and slammed an empty bottle he had been inspecting to the floor. It too shattered, half rolling over the uneven floorboards to rest at Ikuto's feet, and he roared; _"I don't give a __**damn **__whether she is royal! __**She gets punished! **__Ikuto, I tell you to cut her food and yet you- you still- you still defy me!" _Ikuto was silent. The Captain lowered his voice, drunken, but a mocking, cruel sneer. "And that's why you're still useless, Ikuto. Just a _stupid_, _senseless _little boy who I should have just _disposed of _before you could cause me too much trouble." In more ways than one, the calmness of the statement was far worse than the thunderous bellowing from before. Kazuomi circled his desk, attempting to find any full bottles. "You were always… Always useless, Ikuto," he muttered bitterly; "just like your father."

That used to stab at the boy's heart, but so many years later all Ikuto felt was an empty dullness rather than harsh, piercing jabs, though, to be honest, he wasn't quite sure which he preferred. To feel pain was to feel alive, but how could he when this monster before him had hollowed him out with every wound and scar and petty insult until he was no more than an empty, inanimate shell of a man in the background of all these lively characters just outside – a mere lifeless shadow in comparison and every time he tried to fill up that hole again, the Captain would only destroy it even quicker. But even though the pain had dampened, the resentment for the Captain was still as strong as the day he had first encountered him and his ruthless ways and he couldn't bring himself to let the little comment slide.

"Bad-mouthing the old man again…" Ikuto muttered, turning to excuse himself and be rid of the beast's presence. "Of course…"

But Kazuomi raised an eyebrow – for some reason a threatening action in itself – and growled; "I'm sorry, Ikuto?" Ikuto would not give him the satisfaction. He didn't look back until he'd reached the door and he heard a scoff. "Yes, Ikuto." Kazuomi placed his empty bottle down and glared. "Just leave, like a coward because you're _cowardly._" There was a banging as the glass was placed carelessly down. _"Just like him_. You think that spineless little man was noble? You think he was a _good _man?" There was a bark of humourless laughter. "Running away from his family – _running! _It was _cowardly! So here I am left with you! Another coward!"_

Something snapped and Ikuto couldn't stop himself. He had never wanted to kill the man so much in his life, but he had spent many nights fantasising of the many ways in which he could somehow wound the man as much as he was wounded. However, he had never had the courage to even _dream _of these things just in the presence of the Captain and he usually saved those little, twisted hopes for the times when his stepfather was nowhere to be seen, for it had always felt like, somehow, the man could peel away the protective layers that he had placed over his heart and delve deep into his very soul… But for some reason he now felt brave enough to step a foot over the line that this man had crated to control his life; to trap, encage him even, so that he could tame the boy he now manipulated almost entirely to work and obey like a good little soldier boy with a pistol always jabbing at his back as a constant reminder that Kazuomi would always, _always _be there watching, oppressing, pulling the strings of his living marionette.

But, with his emotions bottled and brewing for far too long, what if the marionette dared to try and break a thread and lash out freely at its cruel master who wished it to dance 'til his feet were sore and bloody?

Before he even knew what he was doing it was like the lid on his emotions had finally failed to contain all the anger and resentment and the unbelievable amount hate towards this man who seemed to feed of his misery; who _wanted _to make his family's life hell on Earth; who was just _asking _for him to march over there and beat the drunken bastard within an inch of his life. The half-bottle that still lay at his feet glinted up at him, daring him, and he could just imagine the smooth, cool surface slipping from his grasp as it flew through the air, making its way towards its target.

Determination and fury raging on within his veins, Ikuto snarled;

"_At least he didn't get imprisoned by a greedy, deceitful tyrant like you."_

A ray of light pierced through the clouds outside and the bottle on the floor shone brighter as Ikuto went to reach for it–

And he would have, that is, if he hadn't caught the sight of the man's newly-formed shadow that loomed across the desk and to the man's feet. It struck him dead and he felt cold to the bone. Images came back to him from years long gone and it seemed that he had returned to his childhood – how often that darkness had crossed him; how the shadow was the start of the downward spiral that was his life; how often he had felt the stinging of Kazuomi's fury, his skin angry and purple for days…

A silence fell and Ikuto breathed heavily, letting the steam roll off his body as the inferno calmed and died and he then realised just how big an error he had made, but right then and there, God knows even that little utterance had been worth it and he revelled in the notion that Kazuomi had finally got to taste even the tiniest drop of the venom that Ikuto had so desperately wished to throw at him. But he knew that now he would have to suffer punishment. He knew there was no getting away from the inevitable and so he watched and braced himself as the Captain emptied the very last bottle of rum – something that he had known since childhood would never in this world be seen as a positive sign – and walked, leisurely as if he was taking a peaceful stroll in the sunshine, towards his step-son and as Kazuomi finally crossed the distance and Ikuto finally saw the true extent of the ire in his features he suddenly reverted back to that very small, helpless child that he once had been – powerless at the hands of the notorious Kazuomi Ichinomiya. Just like back then, he shut his eyes and waited for the worst.

~.~.~

* * *

_(**A/N**: It's been nearly a month... I am ashamed. Had a little bit of a block... And then I got a ton of work, so that wasn't exactly ideal either._

_I feel like this is a little rusty. I think I need to get back into the habit of writing more, so maybe I can polish this chapter up one day._

_Hopefully I can get the next chapter out quicker, but, in the meantime, I'd love to hear some feedback on this or on the story in general, so, whether you love it or hate it, I'd love to hear from you ^^)_


	18. Eighteen

~.~.~

It was pleasant to not have a great deal to do, Amu decided. In fact, it was more than pleasant when the crew were relaxed and the ship maintained and when there was nothing more to do than to lean back against the bulwark and take in the breeze, the shimmering sea… Maybe even interact with those whom Amu had started to accept were her temporary crewmates. Or at least those who didn't oppose her company.

"See that?" a rather agitated Kukai pointed up to the spot where Daichi, the parrot, perched amongst the shrouds. That cheerful, full-of-life guy had popped up from the hatchway to the lower decks, admittedly ashamed of himself for not helping her out as she got used to the ship which Amu thought was really very sweet of him – more so when he declared that many of the daily chores had been finished early and that, as the rest of the crew were permitted to relax, he would sit with her unless she wanted to return to her cabin. She said that she'd rather spend as much time outside as she could.

Amu laughed a little and watched as the bird squawked obnoxiously at a pirate who tried to reach it via the ratlines, but almost lost his balance and had to retreat, scowling furiously at the parrot, to perch on one of the masts.

"_See?" _Kukai repeated, waving his arm at the thing. _"This _is the kinda stuff that'll get me into trouble with the Captain!" he shook his head, exasperated. "Him up there'll have my head when he gets back down."

"Honestly," Amu tried to put a stop to her giggles; "what do you possibly expect from a wild creature?" Her efforts it seemed were all in vain as she had to place a hand over her mouth to hush the laughter as Daichi dropped a handful of his own waste from up above, narrowly missing a pirate on the lower decks. The pirate fumed and Kukai tried to hide himself behind a nearby barrel before his superior noticed.

"_God damn it, Daichi…"_

"Kukai," the heiress began; "I'm surprised you even keep Daichi on this ship. How do you get him to stay instead of flap away back to wherever he came from?"

"Hey," Kukai shuffled out from behind his barrel once that one particular crew member had gone; "Daichi wouldn't just up and leave!" He insisted, folding his arms and leaning back against the side. "He's got his master here, don't he?" He announced, pointing a proud thumb at himself and showing off that big, toothy grin of his. "Well, that and he's got all his food here…"

"You speak as if he's human." Amu commented, a hint of amusement still evident in her tone.

The rusty-haired buccaneer shrugged casually. "Ah, but he's a buddy to me, I guess." And then he sniggered, cocking his head in the direction of one large group of crewmates, though his action seemed to suggest he was covering more than just this small portion of the crew. "'Sides, sometimes I doubt whether many of _these _lot are even human." When Amu simply responded with a bewildered look he carried on. "Like, uh… Oh! That guy there – see him; the one with the tat up his arm? Yeah, I've seen him _eat _a bottle as well as the grog. And that guy? Seen him haul five _times _his weight in one go! And him –" – one of the familiar muscle-men was next – "yeah, I don't think I even gotta tell you about that one."

Meanwhile, Amu allowed herself to laugh and giggle to her heart's content. She really had to thank Kukai for being the honest, good man he was otherwise she wasn't sure that she'd ever have felt more comfortable living here at all. However, in the meantime, she just wanted to enjoy their afternoon and she looked into picking out random members of the crew for him to analyse – sometimes with awfully detailed and cruel metaphors, but, though she knew it was low and shamefully uncultured, she couldn't bring herself to care. She was a world away from home in a little wooden bowl bobbing about in unclaimed waters, so to hell with it! Her next target was the helmsman and she gestured to him, hoping that nobody else would notice that they were quite clearly scrutinising everyone they could spot.

"And him?"

Kukai lightened up and leant forwards. "Ooh_, him!" _He said loudly as if he could not believe he had missed out such a prime target. _"He-"_

But Kukai's words broke off mid-sentence as the two both noticed the doors to the cabin area open up and out came none other than Ikuto, noticeably pale even from a distance and the hair over his eyes casting a depressing shadow across his face. He swayed awkwardly on his leg. Amu drew in a breath of surprise and concentrated on the small stagger with which he walked, now suddenly very troubled because the last she'd seen of Ikuto he'd been called into the Captain's cabin and yet now when he returned…

Amu wasn't really sure how to react. She wasn't sure how to feel as she placed the pieces together in her head. So Kazuomi was not only a callous kind of father, but abusive as well. However, she was positive that Ikuto would not want her pity, so she did the next best thing she could think of and let herself go red with fury at the thought of a man laying even a finger upon his own child in such a cruel and heartless way. What an utterly despicable man, but surely this had to be the extent of the methods he used to maintain his iron grip upon the crew if he would go so far as to raise a hand to keep his own son in line.

"K-Kukai," she turned to her new friend; "do- do you see..?"

"Huh? Uh, oh…" Amu turned to him, puzzled at his reaction, and frowned as he replied with a scratch of the head; "I'm… I'm not sure what you're on about." She was about to turn on him for so blatantly failing to let it go unnoticed when he abruptly stood and clapped his hands together, but the action lacked the spirit and life that it normally did. "Anyway, c'mon. You wanna watch me go get that damned bird down?"

Once more at a loss for words, the Princess absent-mindedly nodded and took the hand he offered to help her up. She glanced back as Ikuto stumbled down the hatchway and winced on his behalf, for, even though he clearly felt discomfort, it for not one moment showed on his face. She still noticed, though. There was a redness upon his jawline and she bet herself that next time she saw him he would have a lovely, full-blown bruise.

'_**Despicable**__ Captain…'_

~.~.~

The scuffling as Ikuto lowered himself down two flights of rickety, creaking stairways resounded throughout the interior of the Shining Black, cutting through the silence like a harsh, cold knife and the pounding of blood in his ears only worsened until he could rest, leaning against a supporting post for a moment. It was nearly useless, however, for his heart beat far too fast and his blood ran through his veins without pause at a speed that made his head float with vertigo and his stomach twist uncomfortably, but it was easily pushed down and he breathed a shaky breath to try and settle his senses.

Alone and with not a single prying eye to watch his every movement, Ikuto dropped the relatively placid expression and allowed himself to wince audibly as he took a further step on his leg – the left leg that now cried out with the effort and threatened to give out beneath him, but he once again pushed through and went on, limping his way over to the hammock in that corner over there where he'd rest and curl up for however long his injuries needed. He groaned on his leg again. It would probably bruise horribly, but it was nothing he couldn't hide. Making it across the space to the corner, Ikuto almost threw himself down into the comfort of his own hammock and soon regretted it as this time his ribs flared up. He grit his teeth and bitterly laughed without mirth at the unwelcome sense of déjà vu. Here he was again – he'd pulled himself up from the floor of the Captain's cabin as he used to do all those years ago and dragged his sorry backside down here in the dark to wish away the pain. _Just _like he used to.

'_Ah the memories…' _he thought sarcastically, closing his eyes and settling to the gentle rocking of the hammock, made greater and more frequent as the ship itself gradually swayed from side to side, though more to the left, he noticed. The ship had been leaning to the portside for most of the morning.

The darkness had grown to be relaxing. The light that entered only trickled through the hatchways –between the gun and upperdeck and then going down to the crew's quarters. It seeped through; horizontal slants of daylight forming all sorts of geometrical patterns across the beams and beds and whatever else was dumped down here. It was like a cave – so far below the surface, yet still persistent rays of sun insisted on shining through and touching even the deepest regions one could find. Inside the empty, cavernous space it was easy enough to be persuaded that this could have been a type of cave rather than the innards of a great frigate ploughing her way across the ocean. It was calm – a peaceful space when empty and a place of sanctuary for Ikuto after revisiting his past nightmares at the hands of his… That _man_. He wondered why this time he had so easily been tipped over the edge with Kazuomi after years of sucking up the pain and the taking all he had to throw at him. Maybe…

Maybe, now he thought about it, he just didn't want for anyone to ruin that little period of happiness he had started to find himself in. Though, maybe not 'happiness'. Maybe more… Content. – somehow more content with the little things in this life that he had previously overlooked. Perhaps he had felt more positive inside, free to laugh, feeling as though all that had been drained from him was starting to slowly re-emerge.

'_Well damn.' _He thought as he realised that since Amu had arrived and acted like a burst of light and life around him some of it must have rubbed off. Her presence was refreshing – so many dull and gloomy faces dealt with him each day (Kazuomi's damn quartermasters were real soul-suckers and he guessed that they lived to feed off of others' misery) but then _she _arrived and, though it had taken her time to shed that downhearted demeanour, she had been nothing but pleasant to be in charge of. It was just a shame that he didn't know he had been less despondent until it had already returned.

Ikuto exhaled loudly and shook his head, backtracking on his previous thoughts.

'_But how could a Princess have possibly made the difference?' _he asked. He thought more about it, but then no more because he either couldn't see or didn't want to accept the logic. After all, what was the use of her brightening things up when Kazuomi would probably kill her once he finished with her anyway?

It was too much to consider in his state of mind, so he stopped and simply settled further in his hammock, welcoming silence and the peaceful swaying of the frigate, calming him in the same way his mother used to; the way she picked him up and rocked him gently. For a moment he could almost kid himself that he was still just a child in his mother's embrace, slowly edging back and forth and back and forth and reverting to a time when all that mattered in the world were silly games and childish dreams of hope and wonder. Though even his childhood had not exactly been the greatest period of his life.

He remembered it. Ikuto remembered it all. He remembered the heat of the flames; the cries of his sister; the melancholy melody of that wonderful violin; the sting of his stepfather's hands-

"_SNAP OUT OF IT IKUTO!"_

_**SMACK!**_

Ikuto gasped aloud, tried to shake his head free of unpleasant thoughts and rubbed his temples. He drew his hand back to find them covered in sweat and the temperature had seemed to rise since he reached the place only minutes ago.

'_Damn…' _Ikuto mentally groaned. He'd done well to force down reminders of everything that had happened for some time now, but here… Here they raised their heads like evil spirits; like demons crawling out from the shadows and the little spaces no one checks before they go to bed; unwelcome and terrifying and malicious with claws to scar and touches that bring on those annoying, cold sweats – the ones that take forever to get over and stay with you, clinging like a parasite in the mind to remind you every now and then that they're there. They're never going away. They'd never leave and all Ikuto could do was shove them back somewhere in the back of his mind that was all forgotten and dusty and hard to reach in the hopes that somehow the demons would too forget him. He wanted an end – to cut off all ties with the ghosts of the memories that haunted him. He wanted to forget that past.

"And what an unhappy past it was…"

_The flames – they hit him first. The searing heat; the humid air; the smoke rising through the collapsing roof of the once prestigious home. Women cried and the little boy sprinted through the ash and embers and snuck away from the foreboding shadows of the monsters that crept about the ruins, stalking their prey like hungry wolves on the prowl and he was the deer that tip-toed through the burning home to evade their greedy claws and savage teeth._

_Then suddenly he was in the cold – the frost of the November dawn biting harshly at his glowing nose and he huddled in the corner of the grotty, unsanitary alleyway; chilled and confused with only the cats for company – a teary-eyed boy lost and alone in such a horrible world. But then the figure loomed over him – frightening and malevolent – and he would soon come to realise that there was more horror to be had in this lifetime than on his knees in the city streets. He screamed; kicking, yelling, thrashing for freedom as he was hoisted up over the man's shoulder like a sack and then dumped upon the hard, wooden floor before Captain Kazuomi Ichinomiya. He looked up, stricken with fear and asking with all the courage that a nine-year-old could muster;_

"_Where's… W-Where's my father..?"_

_And then the darkness and the moonlight glowing through the cabin window – a ruthless, merciless sound like the snap of wood and he hit the floor in tears, gritting his teeth together as his new father bellowed for him to bear it, to stop crying, to man up and prove to him that he was not as disgustingly hopeless as his father-_

"_GET UP, IKUTO!"_

"_**IKUTO!"**_

"_Ikuto?"_

The young pirate jumped as Utau's hand landed on his shoulder. He blinked, dazed and met the lilac eyes of his beloved sister who stood over him, brows furrowing in concern and a hand ready to shake him out of his unwanted daydreams. He did not know how much she had seen of his latest set of flashbacks… But he would assume she had seen it all (again) and he acknowledged that by now there was a level of understanding – an invisible connection between two siblings that enabled her to understand his needs and not press into the issue further, so he just sat up and placed the memories back in that distant little section of his brain and carried on like everything was normal.

"Utau…" Ikuto began, his voice a little hoarse. It was only now that it dawned on him, though, that she had actually left the safety of her cabin for the second time that week and he admitted that he was curious, though it was also true that he felt the need to distance himself from the events of the day so far. "Unusual for you to venture from your cabin. What's wrong?"

To his amusement Utau puffed out her cheeks – a habit she had picked up when she was feeling embarrassed – and looked away, avoiding eye contact in the most sheepish way. He really thought she was going to tell him to mind his own business or use some of the more colourful expletives she had picked up as of late, but instead he was frustrated to see her ignore the question entirely and say;

"Ikuto… I- I heard…"

Her voice wavered as if she were on the edge of tears and his heart broke a little bit more at the sound. The man frowned and turned away. _"Utau." _He said warningly.

"Ikuto," Utau sniffed to try and avoid the tears, having no shame in showing such emotions around her brother when he was the cause of them; "show me your cheek…" She raised a hand and took the side of his face. _"Ikuto."_

"_Utau!" _he roughly shoved the hand away and without realising shifted to the side to try and conceal his forming bruise. "Either work or lock yourself up again." It was supposed to sound indifferent, but came out flat and uncaring and Ikuto instantly wished he could take it back.

Persistent and frustrated with his behaviour, Utau roughly took his collar (she didn't notice him stiffen with the déjà vu). _"Worry for my brother must come as an exception!" _she stated. "Damn you, brother…"

Brushing her off and standing, Ikuto tried not to sigh. "There's no need to worry, Utau."

"Ikuto, mother and myself always need to worry about you. Especially whilst Captain Ichinomiya still watches over us…"

There was a sense of emptiness and grim acceptance that made him shiver. Either way, he did not have an answer. They ended up in silence – he trying to shake her off and she looking up at him with pleading, desperate eyes – until there was a call down the hatchway. Ikuto's slacking had not gone unnoticed. He was reluctant to go up and get back to work as obeying Kazuomi had cause him more than enough trouble that day, but, once inspecting the shadow of the pirate in the hatchway, he realised that this caller was as harmless as a fly – just another of the poor souls who had ended up here by either misfortune or accident (which was really all the same thing).

"On my way up." Ikuto called back through the darkness and watched the man nod once as conformation that he'd heard the message and trudged back up to the upperdeck.

"Ikuto…" Utau's words died upon her lips as he wordlessly ambled towards the steps. His walk had seemed to improve after a rest, but he would still have problems for a few days. It was a good thing, he considered, that he was good at hiding the pain. He managed to maintain it all the way up to the surface, only grimacing once as he narrowly dodged someone rushing past, causing him to stumble back heavily on his beaten leg. Utau followed in silence behind him, head low like always. She made a beeline for her cabin.

"_Look'a that! Out again, sweet-cheeks?"_

Ikuto turned and seethed at the scum who dared leer at his little sister. She stood still as a statue at the bottom of the companionway, her path blocked by four thugs who dared to look at her with those wandering, ravenous eyes like dogs drooling over legs of meat in a butcher's window.

"_My, toots, brave enough to come outta ya little hidey-hole?"_

"_Wouldn't ya __**love **__to lock yerself away forever – tiny, little pathetic excuse of a woman."_

"_Gotta take a lotta bravery to face the sunlight, right, pigtails?"_

"_She never sees the light'a day!"_

"O-**OI**!" Ikuto turned to see Kukai drop a handful of rope and glare at the offending buccaneers, looking positively enraged. "Mind your own business, lads! No way to speak to a lady!"

Utau peered back over her shoulder, stunned. Ikuto, meanwhile, tried his best not to smile at the display of defence towards his sister and calmly wandered over to the scene. "Calm down, Kukai," he called back; "this lot wouldn't know a thing about civility."

One thug idly twirled the (sheathed) penknife in his hand and raised an eyebrow towards the younger pirate. "Say what, Tsukiyomi?"

"I said…"

"Yeah? What abo-_AGH!_" He went to speak, but in a second the pirate found himself against the bulwark, pinned and secured in a chokehold, spluttering and coughing uselessly, baffled at the speed with which the other had moved over and restrained him without a single blow. _"Ha- How?!"_

"I said," Ikuto continued on in that same, steady tone; "that you clearly have no clue of civility or decency _or_ courtesy – if any of those words mean anything to you." His dark eyes glanced up to see the others edging over, brandishing their cutlasses and the rest of the crew pause to look on, fascinated. Now seeing his predicament, he thought quickly. He did not want a fight, after all. Not again. "It is unacceptable to start scuffs amongst ourselves as a crew." He reminded them all. "We won't be taking this any further. You wouldn't want to anger the Captain, would you?" There was a pause by which it was obvious to see that not a single man was in the mood to trigger their boss' rage. "Well then," Ikuto released the pirate and made his way back across the deck to where he was hoping to help take up the sails. "Back to work." Around him people gradually began to resume their normal activities. However, Ikuto's eyes did briefly catch those golden globes of the Princess who stood on the opposite side of the deck.

She watched him go, perplexed and bewildered by the sudden change in behaviour; first staggering like an injured animal down into the depths of the ship and then so very wonderfully and confidently resolving internal struggles. Amu wanted to shake her head upon seeing that his pace quickened once he noticed her.

He was still limping.

~.~.~


	19. Nineteen

~.~.~

Solitude was a thing that Ikuto liked to grab at every opportunity he could get his hands on and he often experienced his most peaceful moments when there was not a soul in sight to disturb him – when the hustle and bustle of the working day had cleared away and there was not a single pirate on the deck to spoil the view of the Shining Black – empty and quiet and still and a welcome place for Ikuto to settle down and have the time to himself that he craved so badly.

The Shining Black had had to take an alternate route that afternoon after several military-looking ships had been spotted in the distance (well, they said '_route'_, but really they hadn't been going in any particular direction to any one destination, so it was probably more accurate to say that they'd simply floated off aimlessly in the opposite direction) and she was currently anchored inside a natural inlet carved into the side of a small island – one of the many hunks of rock and greenery scattered across the ocean in this part of the world and naturally defended from the strength of the sea by the corals and shoals that decorated the seafloor. But, more to the point, with the ship remaining stationary for the entire night there was no need for a helmsman to interrupt the peace and so, having been given duty to watch the night in case of approaching vessels (which was of little worry, for few other deep-water ships knew how to navigate around the numerous shoals as they did), Ikuto had the upper decks all to himself. It was perfect and he rested up against the bulwark, propping his arms against the top and craning his neck forwards to watch the rippling tide way down beneath the ship, gurgling so noisily that at first he had thought there were giant fish down there opening and closing their mouths greedily for insects against the water.

The tide was ebbing and the breeze increasingly chilly. To the young man's delight the clouds had parted and up above the moon shone bright and full, illuminating the surrounding trees and plants, creating intriguing shadows that reminded him of the paintings his mother used to hang up in their home – all black and white, yet still with depth and life. He turned to the spots of rock that poked up from the water – the ragged forms coated in fuzzy greenery that made up the intricate patterns of the archipelago – and saw the moon drench them in pale light, making them look like half-sunken lighthouses and he gazed at them wistfully as his mother's gallery entered his thoughts.

He used to love that little gallery with all its weird and wonderful paintings of foreign sceneries and the fine depictions of their own family history. She collected her beloved pieces of art from around the country – sometimes around the globe even when she had travelled earlier on in her youth – and she hung them proudly in the halls of their mansion before the first spark had flared and the carefree days of his childhood blown away with the dust in the wind.

Ikuto shivered, though the air didn't move. He didn't want to think about it, but since his little disagreement with the Captain that day, he couldn't stop it. He winced and leant further against the bulwark, hunching over the edge and mentally yelling at himself to stop being so pathetic as his body broke out into shudders. He'd pushed them down after Utau had found him (because, even though she'd seen him cry out during his nightmares already, he was adamant that she would _not _see him tremble ever again), but now he was alone and the cold was getting to him and his past crashed down on his back with the weight of perhaps the entire sea falling down on him.

It was all Kazuomi's fault. He was the only reason the Tsukiyomi family had suffered. He was why Ikuto and Utau had been chained to the Shining Black ever since their father had disappeared into the night all those years ago, but, for the life of him, he couldn't figure out how Kazuomi had even become involved in their lives in the first place! What the hell had his father been doing to get them wound up into this mess? His father had always been a kind man; a caring man; a man who could provide and love his family and did until the very last…

"_Ikuto…"_

_His father's voice was low and hushed, steady as he knelt down before the boy, yet still even a nine-year-old could sense the serious way with which he spoke as he took him gently by the shoulders and looked deep into his eyes. He saw honesty and solemnity and somewhere in the corner of his eye he saw a flash of light – of sun upon gold that dangled from the chain between the father's fingers._

"_Ikuto, this Key- This Key is important. It's so important, Ikuto. It has… It has some sort of power, some sort of significance quite unlike anything else in the world…"_

_The boy's eyes drew to the Key and watched it sway gently between their faces in the most hypnotising way, yet Aruto carried on and gazed upon the fine object with interest, yet wariness._

"_I don't know what it is about this Key; I don't know what kind of power it holds, but it is imperative, son, __**imperative **__that you should keep it safe, okay? Can you do that for me?"_

_The chain was lowered into the child's hand and a larger one enclosed around it._

"_I want you to keep this Key a secret. Keep it safe."_

_Ikuto nodded firmly. "Yes, father."_

"_Good boy, Ikuto." Aruto smiled and ruffled the blue hair on the boy's head that matched his own. "Thank you, son. You keep that Key our little secret. I need to leave for tonight, so don't let me down."_

_His father left the family home that night and was not seen again._

_The loss of his family home occurred but two weeks later at the hands of a gang of thugs who torched the Tsukiyomi mansion in the dead of night and ripped the place apart as they went, taking the mother, the sister, searching for the boy…_

_Ikuto ran throughout the rubble of the collapsing library, jumping burning piles of the books his father had loved and coughing as his aching lungs screamed in all the smoke and heat of the blaze. He'd left the room and recovered the little package in which he'd stowed away the precious Key his father gave him. The thugs had trashed most of the rooms as if in search for something and the words of Ikuto's father were still ringing in his ears as the raiders went on their devastating rampage. Suddenly the weight of his father's words pressed down on him and gripped his heart with a fear like nothing he'd ever experienced before._

'_This Key…'_

_He panted as he raced through the wreckage, wheezing and covered in blackened muck, clutching the Key inside the pocket of his coat._

'_I have to keep it safe! I have to find father!'_

_The screams of his mother reached his ears and it was all too apparent that he may have to try and escape without her, for, as much as he loved the woman who helped raise him and gave birth to him and who was very much a part of him, he could not face those vicious invaders. He was just a child. He needed to leave to keep his promise. The screaming cut through him like a blade and he tried his hardest not to bawl as he ran, only stopping and having to duck into the nearest room when a shadow appeared down the hall. It was soon gone though and Ikuto was about to make a break for it – a window was broken in the opposite hall and he was sure he could squeeze through the gap if he made it past the flames – when an object to the side caught his eye despite the haze of the smoke. He nearly choked up, recognizing the distinct shape of his father's violin case._

"_F-Father…"_

_Ikuto went to leave when from high above there was a tremendous cracking and he watched in horror as a beam from the high point of the ceiling, flaming madly, began to creak and give way underneath the pressure of the caving floors above. A single glowing ember was released and the child followed it with his eyes. It landed on the case and he noticed that in a matter of seconds the entire ceiling would inevitably crumble down. And it would take his father's treasured instrument with it._

_A deafening groan sounded. Without thinking, Ikuto made a dive for the violin case._

'_NO! That's father's!'_

_He managed to grab it and roll back out into the hallway mere seconds before the thing collapsed and fell as a fireball, destroying the entire room and all inside it. Ikuto looked back, heartbroken more so if possible, at the pile of hot brick and plaster (among other things) before taking his chance, crossing the hallway and wriggling – violin and all – out the window and into the night._

Ikuto, back on the side of the ship in the dark, felt a weight press down within his pocket…

"_There's a good boy, Ikuto. You wouldn't want to stay in that squalor for any longer, now, would you?"_

_Ikuto, alone and frightened and still covered in grime from that dingy alleyway, repeated himself, fiercer this time: "Where's my father?"_

_The Captain stood behind the desk never answered. He instead stared down at the boy that had been dumped at his feet and said sternly;_

"_Now, your father had something Ikuto. Something important. Now, tell me, did you ever see him carry around a trinket of some kind? Small, quite valuable. Say… A Key?"_

_He remembered his last conversation with his parent all too clearly and his stomach twisted as he realised that he had been thrown into something far deeper than he'd first thought._

"_**Where's my father?**__ What have you done with him?"_

"_You'll stay with me now, boy. You'll stay here and work for your new father."_

_The boy had gone cold as the words sunk in._

"_Where's… W-Where is he? Dad..? What have you done with my dad?"_

"Father never knew the significance of that Key…" Ikuto murmured distantly. "How the hell did Kazuomi find out about it?"

The Key that his father had entrusted to him as a mere child felt like a shackle that he wished to shrug off if he wanted to escape the torment of his stepfather, but at the same time how could he? He had always in some way treasured it – the item which had passed between his and his parent's very fingers for the last time.

And the other half – that Lock.

He still couldn't believe she had it. That strange, bright, naïve girl had the Lock – the very Lock that Kazuomi wanted… He couldn't even begin to describe how badly he honestly couldn't get over it, but he didn't know what to do other than tell her to keep it safe and under cover which, thankfully, she had. But that was all that could be done and he just had to hope and pray and _plead _that the Captain would not find out.

Ikuto shook his head uselessly and glanced back towards the cabin area. It was late and there was no glow that he could see through the stern windows which should have lit up the foliage behind the ship for quite some distance. The Captain would have surely passed out cold on rum by now and the crew slept like logs. It took him only a second to make his mind up and then he was disappearing down below (his limp had improved over the day and he didn't have to lean so heavily on his other leg when he faced the steps), reappearing minutes later with an old, worn case cradled in his arms.

Leaning against the mainmast and opening up the familiar case, he had to admit that his heart swelled slightly at the comfort the violin brought him. He ran his fingers gently over the instrument, caressing every grain and surface that he felt so deeply linked him to his father.

He remembered that his father played more often when he was stressed. He had said it was therapeutic and Ikuto had learned soon after joining the ship that really was quite effective, so he stood and looked out to the sea and placed the bow upon the violin and played. Just like his father would have wanted him to.

~.~.~

The frigate groaned, quieter now, under the weight of her stern rocking with the receding tide like some giant beast slowly being roused from its slumber – awakened from its peaceful escape to a world of tranquillity and rest. Just as the Shining Black stirred again, so did the Princess in her tiny box of a cabin.

Amu moaned herself as she was disturbed from her own restful sleep and huffed in agitation as she felt the humidity of the air seep through the covers of her bed. The tropics weren't to her liking, she had decided and often at night she craved the temperate climate of her own dear nation. But at least she was away from the mosquitos, she realised thankfully. She kicked away the covers in frustration and huffed again in an attempt to expel any hot air that had crept its way under her blanket.

It had been late when she had finally dropped off, uncomfortable and unable to settle in the heat of the cabin, and Amu guessed that she had perhaps only had a couple hours of sleep at the most. She felt like sobbing as she realised that she'd only be exhausted for her work tomorrow if this was to keep up. She couldn't function without at least a few good hours of sleep. Sighing, she pushed the last of the covers to the end of the bed and lay spread out above them, resting her head heavily on the pillow and letting her eyes drop because maybe, just maybe, if she could relax herself well enough then tiredness would once more wash over her strong enough for her to slowly drift…

Slowly…

'_Slowly…'_

And then just as she was about to leave the world behind, Amu once more stirred again to the faint notes of a sorrowful tune.

'_Music?'_

Rubbing her eyes and turning her head to the window, Amu frowned in confusion as the melancholy music met her ears. The moon was high and the sun well and truly set, so each of the crew was sure to be well and truly out for the count in their makeshift hammocks down below, but, if that was so, then where the hell would such a melody come from? Amu wondered if she was simply dreaming – whether this was just all a delusion created from her hopeless fatigue and drowsy mind – but everything else was all so real and alive. The heat was sweltering and she felt the sweat, cold and unpleasant, on her back; the floorboards creaked and cracked with the distinct movement of the ship; and the pesky insects from outside hit the glass of the window pane like acorns falling from the oak trees onto the roof of the balcony back at the Hotori's home where she and Tadase had used to sit and play as children.

The tune was real… But who would be playing it? The tune – it was so full of depth and soul that it couldn't possibly have come from a member of a pirate crew, could it?

The window of the cabin was effectively stopping any mosquitoes from entering her room which, of course, meant no cooling breeze to ease her discomfort, but it was preferable to having irritating, buzzing insects nipping and sucking at her skin, so the Princess was disappointed to note that she couldn't simply crack open the porthole to get a better listen. Finding no other alternative and increasingly intrigued by the soft tune flowing from the outside, Amu looked around, found the door and tip-toed over, hoping to lean against the frame and (hopefully) get an idea of where the sounds were coming from.

'_Just a short listen…' _Amu thought as she neared the door to the cabin. After all, her door's lock was incredibly secure and she doubted that she would find the source of the music whilst cooped up inside, so just a little listen couldn't hurt.

But this thought was quickly shattered when, upon placing a hand upon its surface, there was a soft creak and the door budged open. Ah, that's right. Ikuto hadn't taken her back to the cabin today. She'd gone back early herself and he looked as though his mind had been elsewhere, so she didn't bother him and had slipped in quietly before it got dark. She didn't blame him when she considered his behaviour that day, but she hadn't realised that she'd been effectively free to roam that night.

And now that the opportunity had been opened up to her – with the door now almost fully open and the corridor stood ahead of her, the light from the doors down there trickling through so tantalisingly close, evidence that the outside was just out there and that she could so quickly walk over and step out there onto the deck unrestricted during the night – she smiled to herself and realised that she would not rest that night unless her itching curiosity had been satisfied. So with a few quick steps she had left the security of her cabin and she stood before the double doors at the end of the corridor, the night outside dark purple and blue against the strange patterns of the glass. The music was louder, clearer now and Amu's jaw hung open by a fraction as the tune in all its clarity met her ears. It was beautiful. And she needed more. Her grip tightened on the handle of the door and she pushed it open to be greeted by the pleasant cool, the shadows of the foliage, the silver moon, the captivating notes…

And against the mast in the middle of the deck was Ikuto. Eyes closed, slender fingers on the bow and the melody dancing from the strings of the violin against his chin.

~.~.~


	20. Twenty

~.~.~

She breathed slowly – for several seconds breathed, mesmerised – as all the words in the world of literature would fail to describe the sight of the mysterious pirate as he produced such unbelievable music – so captivating, yet still so out of place right then and there.

There was an allure to it; something about that tune which carried so much emotion that it tugged at something within her chest and, as the violinist hit a new high to draw out another sequence of spectacular notes, the breath was almost taken from her throat. Amu had heard nothing like it; seen nothing like it and certainly she had never seen the pirate before her in such a state of serenity. It was like looking at a piece of his soul. And it only made her want to delve deeper and discover what else – what other unexpected treasures – lay far beneath that cool exterior because she saw now that this was a piece of him. If this melody was truly Ikuto singing out into the night and creating something so hauntingly beautiful, yet sorrowful, then he was without a doubt a diamond in the rough and it was saddening that he should have to hide such talent – hide himself – away like he had done. How Amu would ever consider changing that, she did not know, but nothing tried is nothing gained and she would not let something such as this slip through her fingers.

It was, as Amu stood on the quarterdeck in awe that the pirate himself twitched, feeling eyes upon him, and glanced up from his masterpiece, his bow pausing on the strings and the random composition he had worked on cut off abruptly, a squeak marking the end of a note almost ripping through like a scream in such quiet. Amu blinked, once and then twice, as the ending brought her back to reality. She was left awkwardly staring towards him, though disappointment was evident on her face as she realised that he wasn't going to continue on any time again.

Ikuto's face was blank, but his mind heaved an almighty sigh, for he didn't plan on ever letting the Princess wander out at night only to stumble across one of his well-guarded secrets.

"Oh. It's you." He said, monotone. Certainly, it was a lot better to have _her _witness his music rather than most other people. "What are you doing out of your cabin?"

Suddenly on the spot, the woman in question flushed, embarrassed more so to find her voice fail her. "U-Uh, you–"

"Damn." Ikuto interrupted. "I forgot to lock your cabin…" And he cursed quietly as he bent down to stow his instrument carefully back into its proper casing. How could he allow himself to be so distracted as to forget to lock her cabin door? The Captain was but a small breadth away from her. The thought sent shivers down the man's spine, though he tried to convince himself that it was only due to the cold chill of the air. The day had been long and his duties dragged out and his leg still ached from the fury of his step-father's boot… He needed rest, but first he needed to take their hostage back to her room (and made sure she stayed there), but all will to work was gone from his body and it was late and she probably wouldn't leave without making a fuss. In the end he gave up on dragging her back before he even tried. Ikuto rubbed his temples and idly wandered over to the bulwark where he leant against its surface.

"You should probably go back inside." He stated. "It's late."

In the background, Amu grimaced at the thought of going back to her sweltering confinements. "With all respect, Ikuto, it's quite pleasant out here." She said. "I probably wouldn't sleep for a few hours or so…" She trailed off, seeing the man lose interest and stare vacantly out at the foliage that surrounded the inlet. Amu looked around, feeling increasingly uncomfortable as the man went blank, but also, with the wish to see more of Ikuto's rarer side still lingering in the back of her mind, more and more inclined to break the wave of emotionless that had washed over him.

Ikuto didn't even notice her slide over to him until she had already rested her elbows on to top of the bulwark. At least it gained a reaction as he turned his head towards her, yet still only by perhaps an inch.

"I think your music is beautiful." Amu said, her voice slightly timid. He didn't answer. "How did you learn to play like that?"

At this he swallowed his dry throat before responding; "A relative." Ikuto said and he admitted to himself that he felt far calmer thinking about his father now than he had done a few moments ago. He wouldn't have minded responding clearer had he not been so low that day – had he not felt so kicked down that he couldn't bear to be faced with more prying questions. In truth he wanted to scream and shout, declare to the world that that man locked away in his hell-hole of a cabin was _not _his real father – that _Aruto _was his parent; the great musician who was famed throughout Sieyo – and for a second Ikuto had half hoped that Amu perhaps _would _go on to ask for a more specific reply just so he could rid her of the illusion that he was related to that _awful _Captain…

But, his true bloodline unbeknownst to the heiress. The first person to come to mind for her when thinking of Ikuto's family was the notorious Captain Ichinomiya and so she became reluctant to press the matter further, unwilling to be reminded further of the man. A silence fell during which she settled herself to lean on the bulwark and crane her neck back to gaze up at the night above.

A cloud that had been lazily drifting to obscure the moon – hanging full and bright in the sky – had dissipated now; its layers were carried off and split apart and soon they were out of sight, revealing the lunar orb in all its glory. Stars twinkled like jewels and transformed the dark into a vibrant ocean, so similar to the way the sun glitters on the waves of the sea. A similar effect was created. Where the sea was calmest, the starlight shone and reflected on the water and suddenly the Shining Black was bobbing sleepily on a sea of diamonds. The world was new and surreal in this light and Amu began to think that she had been thoroughly mistaken in overlooking the beauty of this place when they had dropped their anchor. If this was but a tiny example of the wonder in the world that these people got to see throughout their whole lives… It was remarkable. Could she see the heavens shine on still seas or the tropical palms sway gently beneath the warm glow of the moon from her Palace in the centre of the capital? Of course she couldn't and yet here there was a boatload of people who could on a daily basis. Surely they would have far more appreciation in their lives for nature and all its beauty than she or anyone else ever could back at home. Or at least some of them could. Ichinomiya, for example, was probably not one to stop and take mental snapshots of his surroundings.

Amu straightened a little, wanting to scoff out loud at the thought of Kazuomi doing such a thing. What did he care about the little things that made life worthwhile? What did he care about other than greed or power or, more so it seemed recently, about that golden pendant that even now still hung from her neck?

The Princess tried to push that thought away and she turned to face the man beside her. Ikuto watched the dark ripples forming beneath the ship in mild fascination; half bathed in light, half in dark as the moonbeams rained down on them, but it was the gleam in his eyes that caught her attention. It was not unlike sorrow.

"I-Ikuto…"

"Mm?"

Amu hesitated, but pushed herself forwards just as quickly. She had seen much more of Ikuto that night than she supposed he would have wanted her to and that thought made her reluctant, however still it had only made her more determined to crack that mask he wore, if not break it completely, and at least aid him towards being as open as he felt was comfortable because she knew that there was no benefit in blocking out the world and burying your head in the sand.

"I couldn't help but notice that you were distracted today," she continued and she noticed the way his pupils darted from the water and locked upon her face; "You're hiding something."

Ikuto didn't have time to even think of a good answer, for it appeared that she'd already remembered the way he limped across the deck that day like an injured animal crawling away to lick its wounds and wallow in the safety of its burrow.

"What happened to you?"

His jaw clenched, but it wasn't enough to frighten her away. He saw her eyes fall upon his forming bruise with the movement and felt like going and hiding all over again, but Amu would be only more persistent and then, knowing his luck, one of the men would probably wake when he went down below and ask why he had abandoned his watch. Amu was not stupid. She knew. He knew that she knew. And that only fuelled his annoyance.

"Why should Her Highness care?" Ikuto spat more fiercely than he meant to.

Amu only glared at him, infuriated as she watched him pile the bricks back up again to repair that casing around himself; around his heart and his emotions that he'd managed to so wonderfully pull down with the melody of that violin. Why was he so unwilling to help himself? Why when Kazuomi was not even there with them to observe and scrutinise?

"Don't try and push me away, Ikuto!" Amu retorted firmly. Apparently it hit a nerve because he shrunk, slouching against his armrest. Her heart softened. "Ikuto…"

"I…" he sighed a sigh of defeat and contemplated his wording. "I made a move out of line."

Amu's fears had been confirmed. The image of the Captain inflicting that limp or that bruise (it was darker now, even visible in the dim light) made her sick. "That's not right, Ikuto. He shouldn't be allowed to treat you like that."

The pirate shrugged casually. "Fear is his primary control, Amu." He said simply. "Besides, he's the Captain and so no one questions him whilst he keeps a pistol by his side."

The Princess shook her head. "Such is the life of a corrupt buccan crew."

She had to admit, it was quite extraordinary. Other pirates were incredibly democratic, but here was something else entirely. Here Kazuomi would go that extra mile to ensure his order. No doubt his silent brutes had something to do with it. The crew were uneasy around them and she thought she understood them perfectly.

"The Captain doesn't take into account the wishes of anyone here, it seems." Amu commented.

"Of course he doesn't." Ikuto secretly wanted to chuckle at such an obvious statement. "He has his goals and he'll reach them whatever anyone says."

"Like my Lock."

A pause.

"Yeah. Like your Lock."

Ikuto watched from the corner of his eye as the pink-haired woman's fingers came to meet the crystal surface of the trinket and he followed her fingers with his eyes as they lightly trailed over the contours and the shiny surface of the Locket. The brightness from the moon that bathed the deck in a silvery hue now entered the clear gems of its face and rebounded within, bouncing away from the angles of the cut and sending miniature rays of white light into the air. It was a wonderfully crafted piece of jewellery. It was simply beautiful and when Amu's fingers tilted the thing so that the reflections were sent directly upwards her face was brightened by the glow and he couldn't help but think the same of her… She looked angelic.

"You know," her voice brought him back again; "I'm not sure how much you know, Ikuto–" (oh how he felt so guilty that she had to be left in the dark!) "–but he wouldn't want this Lock purely on its own. I wish I'd found out more about it now," she admitted; "because I'd never have thought that this little accessory would be more than just that. I'd have never suspected that this could be tied to greater things… And obviously there's far more to it than I could ever have thought." Amu, still resting the Lock in her dainty palm, gazed at it in wonder. "You know I've always wondered if there were ever a Key. There's clearly space to hide something else in here… And a missing Key to unlock it… All manner of things could be behind these stones." She frowned at it and traced the keyhole with a finger, staring into the little vacant space. "There's little else that could tempt a man such as Kazuomi. Perhaps there really is something hidden here. Perhaps there really is a Key that Kazuomi could want. After all, a Key is nothing without something for it to open…"

Beside her, Ikuto watched in astonishment. Could she not be completely in the darkness? He would have commented, but before he could so much as open his mouth the woman had dropped the pendant and left it to swing loosely round her neck, shaking her head and running a hand through her pastel-coloured locks.

"I don't believe it." Amu began, her voice wavering in such a way that Ikuto all of a sudden became quite anxious. He had no idea how he would calm her if she got as angry or upset as that quiver suggested. "_I don't believe it._ What if that's all there is?" Her voice was close to cracking. "What if it really _was_ for such a petty, pathetic reason that I have been dragged into all this? And no pirate Captain would even have the _decency _to give me so much as a clue!"

But he was still in amazement from her earlier suggestions. She had hit the nail on the head and she had no idea as she dug her nails into the wood of the ship in her ire and swore deadly oaths – very unladylike – towards the Captain who was not present. The young pirate didn't even notice the state she was in until she looked to him.

"I can't live in the dark forever…" her voice cracked and her tone hit something deep inside. "What does he _want_ with my Lock?"

"_What have you done with my dad?"_

'_Oh, God…'_

"_What have you done with him?"_

'_Shit.' _He groaned inside as he peered over at the hopelessness that clouded such perfect golden eyes. So worn and pleading and honest.

Why did he see the reflection of that little, lost boy in those pleading eyes of hers? Why did his resolve waver and crumble and get thrown away instinctively under that gaze?

But the truth was that he _did _see that kid from all those years ago – begging and begging and dragged unwillingly into it all without even a mere hint as to why – and it was strong enough to strike a chord within him because all of a sudden Ikuto realised that he knew almost exactly how she must have felt and to know that it was the same man – the same Captain – who had caused her distress… Well it seemed to be the final push Ikuto needed to throw away that mysterious front that he tried to keep up so much and reach into his pocket to retrieve the object he knew would either captivate or break her.

She had the right to know. Just as he had.

And so wordlessly, he groped around within his pocket for the chain and wordlessly dragged out the Golden Key – the perfect match to the Lock around Her Highness' neck – and held it up beneath the moonlight for her to see.

Her reaction he would never forget. The cloud of desperation and misery had vanished from her eyes as they widened – the Key reflecting within them and, in turn, its crystals producing a perfect mirror so that Amu could see herself blinking, open-mouthed across its surface. A single swirling pattern much like a twisting vine graced its golden side and the same golden front that surrounded the keyhole on her Lock was present in the centre of the clover. She couldn't believe it. There it was. There was the other half that she had never even known existed until recently. She was at a loss for words for the second time that evening because it was _real _and there _right _in front of her!

It existed. And after all this time… _He _had it.

Oh, and they couldn't have been more different – they could not have been in more contrasting places. The Lock – a treasure of Royalty; the Key – in the hands of a pirate.

"This is the…" Amu looked up at him and he nodded. "Oh Lord…" Her fingers trembled as she covered her mouth. She had been right and Kazuomi's reason for keeping her really _was _petty and ridiculous and downright wretched, but at the same time she would never have guessed that it would be true!

"So _you _have the Key to my Lock?" Another nod of confirmation. She hand left her mouth and she stayed quiet for some time until her voice could actually function without failing her. "How did you get it? Ikuto, why do _you _have the Key to my Lock?"

Ikuto twirled the chain around his long fingers, never taking his eyes off of the item that swung freely from it. "The Dumpty Key was handed down to me," he explained; "also by a relative."

Again, Amu felt that same uneasy feeling about the subject and so she stayed silent until he spoke again, much more seriously this time.

"Amu, you know that Kazuomi wants your Lock." She nodded. "Well, what do you think he'd give for the Key that goes with it?"

The woman eyed him curiously and she remembered that day, some time ago now, when she had been marched into the Captain's cabin and how, during that encounter, it had been made obvious to her even then that Ikuto was keen to keep the secret of her possessing the Humpty Lock under wraps. In her mind she connected the dots and she understood right then that these two objects were linked and that, for some reason, they could not be seen to be connected in the Captain's eyes, but for what reason she did not know.

"But… Then that means you don't want him to have it." She could tell by the expression on his face that she was, again, correct. "Why?"

With a tug on the chain, Ikuto had whipped the Dumpty Key back into his palm and he clenched his fist, obscuring the item from her view, much to her disappointment. "Right now," he said; "it doesn't matter." He caught the frustration that he saw building up in the woman across from him. "I'm sorry, Amu. Maybe some other time I might be able to tell you, but for now you have to understand: Kazuomi cannot know the Dumpty Key is mine."

She nodded slowly, but it wasn't enough.

"Amu, you understand?"

"Yes," Amu nodded; "yes, Ikuto. I understand. I promise you – I won't tell a soul."

Satisfied, he nodded and stowed the object back within the safety of his pocket. "Good. Now, let get you back to your cabin. Captain will have my head if he suspects you've been out during the night."

"Yes."

"I'll be inside to lock your door in a little while."

"Okay." Amu complied and began to make her way aft back to the hot, stuffy air that surely still lingered within her room, however her mind was on much more important matters. The mysteries behind the Humpty Lock and Dumpty Key still plagued at her mind, but, above all that, she could not help but admit that she did not expect to have such a meaningful conversation with Ikuto that night. She did not expect to find out that he was the holder of the Key or that he inherited such items from family or even in fact that his talent with a violin surpassed all other musicians she had seen in her time and now, after all that, she began to feel that maybe, just _maybe_, he was beginning to trust her. And so Amu was beginning to trust him far more than she ever felt she would have.

She called it a night and disappeared from the deck. Ikuto watched her leave, watched the woman amble back across the deck and slip through the door inside and wondered how on Earth their conversation had led to him revealing one of his biggest, most guarded secrets.

She was fascinating.

How did she do it? How did she get through to him like that? Why did he want to open up when she was around? He had wanted to push her away (because she really, _really _didn't want to get involved and if she did then, by Gods, she would have all his sympathy because she didn't deserve to be Kazuomi's prisoner all her life) but now he felt his resolve wavering and crumbling as his eyes locked with those golden ones that dazzled like the sun on the water and shone like candlelight.

'_How?'_

But there was no time to dwell on it. Ikuto brought out his treasured possession once again, alone and with no one else to witness, and ran his thumb over the crystal before eventually following her towards the aftercastle, keys already in hand to secure the heiress' door.

~.~.~


	21. Twenty-One

~.~.~

Amu awoke the following morning, having had very little sleep, with the Humpty Lock in her hand and her mind far away, still drifting back to that encounter she'd had with the blue-haired pirate the night before. She had fallen asleep last night with the violin's sorrowful melody still playing in her head and since then had been full of eerie notes and the squeak of strings, not to mention he who drew such extraordinary sounds from a mere wooden instrument.

Amu huffed a breath of hot air, for she was still plagued by humidity from the day before, and turned on her side, reaching her free arm over to run her slim fingers over the cool of the crystals. To think that something so small turned out to be so significant baffled the mind and she shook her head and laughed a little at herself, for she had had no idea. If something like this could have been so drastically important, then just imagine what number of other things could prove themselves to be of such significance?

There was just so much that Amu did not know.

She had not known that her Lock had led to greater things; she did not know for what; she did not know if her mother had ever been aware of this or if she herself would ever find out at all; and, perhaps most importantly, she had not known that it was Ikuto – _Ikuto! _– who had possessed the Key that matched it and that very Key for which Kazuomi would surely go to great lengths to get his hands on. That sneaky devil – he had kept it under his captor's very nose and yet still the man had not even caught a whiff of it… And last night, stood in the glow of the moonlight, Ikuto had opened up and revealed his secret to her. (_Her!) _There was so much more to him that Amu did not know of and, for some reason, that unsettled her as that sudden desire to move ever closer to him reared its head again, drawing her further and further in…

'_Ikuto…'_

That image of sapphire blue reappeared in her mind more vividly and Amu was quite startled to find her cheeks alight. Alarmed, she threw the Lock down on the bed and drew the covers up to cover her burning face.

'_What the hell?'_

_~.~.~_

By noon the deck was roasting in the midday sun, yet all around the crew were still put to work. Kukai, dropping down from the ratlines and waving away Daichi (damn bird wouldn't stop flapping about on his shoulder), shuffled casually to the side where he had noticed Amu sat – evidently on a break – apparently deep in murky thoughts and miserable spirits. He crept up rather conspicuously (despite his best efforts) over to her and casually sat back on his haunches at her side. She never so much as blinked at him. He was quiet for a few moments.

"So, Hinamori…" the young pirate began fairly awkwardly, drawing out his words to see if she'd respond to him. She didn't. He sighed. "Amu?" Kukai cast the woman a somewhat desperate look. _"Amu?_" … "Come _on_. Don't make me look like an idiot here!"

Amu's lips twitched upwards a fraction. "You're already an idiot, Kukai."

It was a remark she'd never have dared to make back home, yet now she was thanked with a toothy grin of triumph. "A-ha, see! That's the good ol' banter I like ta hear!" He noted with glee that the heiress seemed to smile again. "Now don't you go sitting here all depressed and stuff in front of them–" – he pointed to a nearby pirate who consisted of more muscle than man – "–else that'll just make 'em happier!" He paused to frown and comically squint over at the man. "That is… If any emotion can actually penetrate skin so thick…"

Amu actually allowed herself a little chuckle this time. To see Kukai so pleased with his own efforts only raised her spirits further. "Ah, Kukai," she began softly as it truly touched her to see the concern behind his cheery demeanour; "thank you – for being so good to me whilst I've been here. Thank you."

At this Kukai's cheer vanished. "H-Hey," he started, now uneasy; "what's makin' ya talk like that?"

"Honestly, thank you for your concern, Kukai!" Amu interjected, giving him a reassuring smile. "But it's nothing. I'm okay."

"Your Highness, you are obliged to tell me your troubles! Spill, woman!"

And she laughed aloud, only stopping when she saw the genuine bewilderment on the man's face. She was about to open her mouth to continue, but just stopped and shook her head and hauled herself up from the floor to begin her work again before the Captain's henchmen saw her slacking.

"I'm fine, really. Come on. I'm sure you have work to do."

Kukai just grumbled something under his breath and stood with a dissatisfied expression. "Well sure," he mumbled half-heartedly; "but I sure as hell don't wanna."

"_Kukai,"_she scolded and the two of them, relieved to have broken the tension, wandered towards the hatchway in higher spirits than before.

Flipping back the hatch, Kukai bowed in an exaggerated manner and motioned for Amu to enter first. Shaking her head, but amused, she did. Down below was far cooler than the steaming deck and Amu was particularly grateful for this as what followed shortly after was a long hour or so of fumbling and sorting through the majority of items that had been haphazardly chucked and abandoned three decks down in the hold of the ship. Empty pistols, tangled nets, knotted lines, barrels, cages, lanterns – the list went on and on until the hoard of clutter slowly dispersed around the borderlines of the galley. Strange how these men could be so particular about the state of their kitchen when all around them had descended into chaos, the Princess thought as she and Kukai scrabbled about in the dim light to find line and sheets fit for use. Some hours previously, there had been an incident involving a few select crewmates, the crow's nest and more than a few bottles of alcohol. Line had been snapped, a sail had suffered and some improvised repairs were in order. Needless to say, the Shining Black might be missing a couple of crew members if anyone allowed the Captain to get too involved.

And, of course, being the lowly new girl, Amu had been set to the task of wading through crap to fetch whatever they needed. But it wasn't all bad, she decided as she tossed aside an old-fashioned music box _('What use does a pirate even have for this?' _she asked herself). It was a task that put her mind to work. It made her switch on and actively used up her senses as she went for which she was glad as that morning she'd done very little but sink into some sort of glum pit of melancholy sadness.

To start with, she had woken up ill-rested and troubled after her night with Ikuto on the deck of the Shining Black. And, to God, she hated it because he so confused her. Just the thought made her breath hitch in her throat and Amu groaned because her heart was suddenly heavy in her chest, beating throughout her entire body. Yet, still, if that wasn't enough, she was immediately far more conscious of herself than before and she _hated _it! Calm, collected Amu was gone just like that and replaced by an awkward, fumbling, inwardly cringing mess. She winced in embarrassment as her mind went back to one particular moment that morning.

It was just as she began to debate over her own health (what with her burning cheeks and heavy pulse – her mind hadn't rested since the moment she went to bed) when there had sounded a knock at the door; a familiar tapping that had her heart beating again because she'd known that just on the other side of that door was the very pirate that had contributed greatly to her recent mental anguish. Jumping and hissing a foul word that she had learned from Kukai (really, who else?), she'd flung herself from the bed; rearranging the covers and wrapping a robe over her ruffled night gown in an effort to look presentable. For some reason that morning, the thought of Ikuto walking in on her whilst she still looked unkempt was enough to make her flustered all the more.

When Ikuto, a moment later, had strolled in with the usual breakfast tray in his hands he'd raised a brow to see her standing like a statue by the foot of her bed with her hands neatly folded at her front and her wide eyes following him – tense like a wild deer being stalked by a hunter, silent and unmoving. Ikuto's skin had prickled under her gaze, feeling quite unnerved by her watch.

"Breakfast." He'd said simply, unsure of what else there was to say and Amu _cringed _because the awkwardness of that one, single word was so strong that she could practically feel it.

Amu had tried to mumble a thanks, but the words died upon her tongue. Ikuto stared back at her and she prayed that he would leave, now uncomfortable and suddenly incredibly self-conscious under his gaze. Images flashed in her mind of gentle fingertips brushing down silky skin, tracing patterns down her shin, around her knees, beneath her thighs; the way he had tended to her sore scurvy-ridden skin… The memory had never flustered her before nor struck a spot do deep within that she was startled to feel her pulse race like never before.

And, yet, whilst she was internally screaming at herself he'd given her one last puzzled look before somewhat awkwardly taking his leave. She'd found herself a moment later collapsed onto the bed, flushed brighter and with her head in her hands, wincing horribly.

'_Ikuto,_' Amu thought down in the dark of the hold, pausing in her search through the piles of rubbish and running a hand over her face; _'What is it about you?'_

"I've been thinking far too much," Amu mumbled; "if I'm so flustered by nothing at all."

"Sorry?"

"Oh," It was only when Kukai spoke up that she remembered he was down there with her. "Nothing, Kukai. Have you found anything?"

"Hm, nah," he replied, tossing some sort of empty container aside and dusting off his grubby hands on his trousers. "S'not exactly the greatest of tasks, I'll say," he stated simply; "but at least we're outta the heat."

At that she managed to laugh a little, shuffling over to unravel a knotted ball of twine that had caught her eye. "Here, this should do half the job." She commented and handed it over to the pirate beside her.

"Hey… Amu…" Kukai began slowly and his tone was to earnest and unusual that she almost couldn't believe it; "ya do realise that you can't carry on keepin' everythin' to yerself, right?"

Taken aback a little at the sudden swerve in conversation, the Heiress straightened and raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm sorry?"

Kukai shrugged. "It don't take a genius, Your Highness, to see that ya more than preoccupied with somethin' or other. And it ain't reassuring, I can tell ya. You've taken everythin' this ship's thrown your way so far." At this point, he sighed a mighty sigh and lowered his voice as if others might be listening. "But, obviously, I don't know whatever it is that the Cap'n or his thugs've got against ya, so…"

"Kukai," Amu whispered, truly touched at such earnest words. "Kukai, there's nothing to worry about."

He just stared at her disbelievingly.

"Honestly, I swear." She smiled, albeit forcefully. "I'm fine."

A moment of quiet passed before the pirate let out a loud groan. "Aah, Hinamori, you're too good a liar!" He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and shook his head. "But ya know I trust you, so… Ah, whatever – just don't come runnin' to me when it all falls apart!"

Amused, Amu chuckled as she waded through the rubbish. "Oh, but you know that you wouldn't be able to refuse!" she added jokingly. "You'd feel far too guilty!"

In the background, Kukai groaned again. "It's damn well true! God damn it,"

"But, seriously though," the Princess began, looking back at her friend over her shoulder and grinning; "thank–"

_BANG!_

"_HE-HEY!" _

The two just about jumped out of their skins as the sudden pounding of boots upon wood interrupted their conversation and looked up, startled, to see a man leaning down the companionway – his face ashen; his eyes wide and scared out of his wits. The atmosphere completely changed.

"_Up–Up on deck! They're here!" _he choked out.

"_They're here!"_

And with that, he turned and scrambled back up the steps like a terrified animal, leaving Kukai and Amu stood in the dark, confused and cautious. Curious, they abandoned their task, following the man upstairs and were greeted on the deck by the most unbelievable commotion. People were scampering back and forth, muttering foul curses and yelling terrified omens of doom and death. It was only a moment later when, through the glare of sudden light and the dizzying motion of everyone scurrying about like lab rats, they heard a yell – one of the pirates perched in the crow's nest, pointing to one side and hollering down until his voice grew hoarse;

"_Port! Straight to port!"_

Heads that hadn't already turned left, Amu being one of them.

"What?" she tried to shield her eyes from the sun with one hand in a vain attempt to see. "What am I looking at?"

But, beside her, Kukai was mesmerised. "Oh, you're joking?" he whispered as one in awe. "We haven't come across them for _months!"_

"What?" She glanced back at him, frowning. "Who?"

She received no reply. And that only worried her more. "Kukai..?"

But he either could not or _would _not speak and, in a second, his expression mirrored that of the frightened pirate who had yelled down at them in the hold and Amu's pulse raced in anticipation.

"_What's going on?"_

The booming voice of the Captain suddenly pierced through the chaos below and Amu turned in time to see him march down the steps to meet his crew. _"What _is this? _Ikuto?_"

From her position on the far side of the ship, the Princess could just about make out the tall, slender figure of the violinist step out from the crowd and, in a way, she was almost grateful for the confusion all around them. It made her anxious. And anxious meant that her body was too preoccupied to really react to the sight of him.

She could not hear what they were saying, but she watched closely. Ikuto spoke quickly and proffered a spyglass to his Captain which Kazuomi wrenched from his grasp and lifted to his eye. Amu followed his gaze... And that's when she saw it. The blot on the edge of the horizon; the giant behemoth against the sun; the terror of all sailors on unfamiliar tides.

"They're here…"Kukai faintly whispered beside her. _"They've found us…"_

"_The Dark Fortune found us."_

"Get her! Get Her Highness away from here! _They_ _mustn't see her! Go quickly now you blithering fools!" _Kazuomi yelled in the background, but he was distant and she was much too busy in her reverie to pay attention.

It was strange. Eerie. It moved sluggishly towards them; its sails majestically flowing like water in the wind. It blocked out the glare of the sun upon the water and had fear clawing at the hearts of every man aboard their own dear frigate. But it was familiar in some strange way. It took the Princess back to her room in the Palace – back to her fantasy tales and bedtime stories; back to the big book of age-old legends that her father used to read in the library by the fire. She remembered all of the stories now.

A philosopher once spoke of a giant creature that rose from the sea – magnificent; terrible; that damned all souls that crossed its path to wander the ocean forevermore, bound by the trail of its wake; the darkness of its shadow; the low growl that echoed through the deep like the groans of all the unfortunate men – good and bad alike – who settled on the seabed among broken wrecks and shattered shells and the hauntings of their dreadful fates. But whilst she had marvelled at these maritime tales in the comfort of her regal chambers, real men had tossed and turned on stormy seas and feared the beast that scuttled along the deep and now, as the leviathan drew closer and rose from the waters in the most spectacular, yet eerie manner, she felt like she had just been thrust into reality to finally confront that which resembled the horror of all seagoing men.

Yet before she could take the time to feel any more than mild shock or to stare in wonder as the great ship made the move to show its broadside, Amu found herself roughly hauled up in the arms of two men so suddenly that she wasn't even fast enough to comment. They whisked her off, pushing through the crowd, rushing down below, through the companionway and down through the dim light all the way to the galley, far below the light of day. And, although the Princess protested and squirmed and writhed about in their grasp, demanding for an explanation of her rough and sudden handling, they would not breathe a word. One let go of her side and from behind a nearby bulkhead rolled out a large barrel; empty and, she grimly noted, just about large enough to hide a single body.

The pirate stood it up and placed it among the many others, full of fruits and other necessities, gathered in a corner. He spoke with a hushed sense of urgency;

"Just keep your head down 'til someone comes for you."

And with that the two set to the task of stuffing the startled and flustered Princess within the hollow space of the empty barrel and it was a tough squeeze, but they managed in the end (with much effort and dark oaths on the heiress' part) and so Amu sat on a cushion made of the folds of her skirts, her knees tucked tightly to her chest, scowling up at the ruffians with all the dignity she could muster.

"My apologies, Your Highness," said the second pirate, actually looking regretful; "we'll fish you out when the Cap'n calls."

And they secured the lid above her head so that the light of the world was lost to the darkness.

~.~.~

Meanwhile, out on the deck, the crew shivered despite the warm sea breeze of the midday sun. Kazuomi cast a glance over his shoulder him and saw the two young men scrambling up from the depths of the ship and onto the upper deck. He allowed himself to breathe a tiny breath, for, as bleak as the situation seemed at that moment, at least Her Highness was tucked safely away far beneath their feet where, hopefully, she would not be found unless drastic measures were taken by their foes. They would have to get through _him _first, he thought. He would not allow the others to pillage his dear craft, however desperate or forceful they may turn out to be.

But hope was on his side. The Captain was pleased to note that they would not have noticed Amu on the deck. They had been too far away, it seemed, and the crew had been too busy scurrying up the ratlines like spiders in an intricate web, but now they stopped and eased their way back down to the relative safety of the deck. The ship was but metres away and she came up, fully showing them her broadside, on the port side where their planks – jutting out from the gap in the bulwark – could more or less meet.

All was quiet as the two ships stood still upon the water, side-by-side. The crew of the Shining Black watched anxiously and took peeks of the other ship's masts – tall and proud, far above their own. They were dwarfed by the leviathan and, in every man's chest, their hearts stopped.

A thumping drew them from their trance and the plank of the second ship shuddered dreadfully with the stomping of boots. A single figure had emerged from the dense crowd on the other side and strode confidently over the border of his own little realm.

The pirate whose true name remained unknown; whose ship sailed like a shadow across the sea, stepped onto their vessel and rendered it deadly silent. He tipped back his ragged hat, revealing icy eyes, scarred skin and a wiry grey beard. His voice low and gruff, he addressed the Captain of the Shining Black in a tone that, without fail, would always send shivers down the crews' spines.

"Ichinomiya."

And Kazuomi replied in a voice just as grave;

"Fortune."

~.~.~

* * *

_**Definitions**_

**Bulkhead**: A dividing wall / barrier of compartments inside a ship.


	22. Twenty-Two

~.~.~

"Ichinomiya."

"Fortune."

_Fortune_... It was like the whistle of the wind; the wails of tormented souls. It cast blackness across the deck of the ship and sent dread to pool in the pit of every man's stomach as they watched in anticipation. His bulk shadowed them and they were all suddenly quite insignificant in comparison to this man who waltzed over onto their ship and who marched up to their Captain with all the terrifying authority and purpose that they would have expected from Kazuomi himself. Their Captain seemed to shrink – a mere common sailor in comparison.

"Well, Kazuomi," Fortune began and he sounded hoarse; tones sprinkled with the accent of seamen as a man who had likely sailed the sea for much of his life, yet it was steady and dangerous. "How are we about this fine day?" He didn't wait for a reply though and suddenly his voice was akin to a growling beast so low and rumbling that it could have put Ichinomiya's to shame; "I hear you an' your crew have had a successful plunder."

Kazuomi watched intently as the rival Captain paced forwards, brushing past him and casting his eyes over the ship and all its details. "Quite the slip-up you gave us this time."

Fortune laughed gruffly in response, but didn't answer. He was a slimy sort of man – sneaky and slippery and tough to outwit. It was strange; an old man he was with the wiry beard and leathery, sun-baked skin riddled with wrinkles. It seemed as though he should have been frail and old and weak, yet beneath his coat and hat there appeared to hide a strong physique and a sturdy build. Kazuomi had seen the kind of punch he could throw alone and most of the crew had a rough idea, hearing of the nautical tales that were told of his ferocious deeds in sea warfare, so it was no surprise that nobody had yet ever dared to mess openly with the man who was said to be the mortal equivalent to the true sea-terror of the Flying Dutchman.

Awkward in the silence and the scrutinising gaze of his foe, Kazuomi coughed loudly so as to attract attention. "I would not have expected you to venture this far, Fortune, just to ride my tail in the hopes of invoking some sort of… _intimidation_."

"An' fer _what?" _was the reply. "A bunch o' tack and sail sheets? Some gunpowder? Liquor? Is that what's on yer mind?" And he chuckled to himself, amused at something which the crew around him could not quite grasp, yet, further up on deck, Kazuomi looked rigid as stone as if bracing himself for some fierce tide.

Currently, the dark Captain still plodded about the deck. He eyed the crew – locked his gaze on each and every one of them even if only for the briefest of seconds and, in a moment, he had successfully spooked half the men on board and they edged away warily; some clawing to the bulwarks like rats in cages.

"Fine set of men…" Fortune spoke up loudly as if to distract from the previous topic of conversation, sweeping his dark eyes one last time over the pirates huddled at the side of the ship. "Some new recruits, I s'pose?" he added and there was such a glint in his eyes that Kazuomi had begun to sweat, though his jaw was still set so hard and his muscles so tense that it looked doubtful he'd ever relax again. He swallowed with difficulty.

"Some." The Shining Black's own Captain responded simply.

His rival smirked fiendishly.

There was a moment of silence that settled more heavily than before. Those few seconds in which the two Captains were locked in time, glaring at each other were utterly agonizing until, finally, in a single moment Fortune had strode over and leaned heavily towards Kazuomi and uttered;

"_Where _is Her Royal Highness, Ichinomiya?"

Time stopped for Captain Ichinomiya. Urgently, he cast fleeting glances at his crew, yet they all remained as before and he was sure that none were close enough to heat the whisper that had made his entire body stop. The accusing tone, the piercing gaze… He hoped the other Captain would not notice him sweat because he just _couldn't believe it_. News travelled fast as it was, the entire sea would have heard of Her Highness' disappearance by now, he had no doubt, but…

"This is why you come to me now, isn't it?"

It wasn't a question and Fortune's mouth twitched, still pulled into that hideous thing he called a sadistic grin.

"You know me, Kazuomi," he replied, thankfully lowering his voice to keep their conversation private. Whispers sounded behind from the group of stunned sailors, but neither of them heard it, both too engrossed in each other's words to notice. Fortune continued over the distant murmurs; "I gotta keep me eyes fixed on this here ship o' yours. You want the plunder, I know… But, see… What you've gotta understand is that, well… Plunder's not yours. An' you'd be a _fool, _Kazuomi, to believe that you could've hidden such a thing from _me_."

The allegation was plain and simple to Ichinomiya and yet he held his ground.

"You are a fool, Fortune." The Captain finally said. "You are a fool and you are desperate to even begin to think of accusing me of taking the plunder on my own."

"Don't _test_ me, Ichinomiya!" he snarled, backing away and hissing like an animal circling its prey; "I know what a filthy li'l weasel y'are! I know you want that plunder as much as I an' I _know _you were given the perfect chance. A fisherman sees a dark vessel without a name on 'er transom in the mainland waters whilst he's reelin' in his line an' you expect me to believe that Her Highness was intercepted by _highway men?" _And he spat onto the planks of the deck. "You expect me to believe that yer bein' in the vicinity is nothin' more than a massive _coincidence? _Now you listen here – you've got a goal, as have I, yet you remember, don't you? You remember that it ain't all plain sailin' when someone shares a common goal – you hear me now, Kazuomi? You understand what'll come o' you if you go on bumping into these little 'coincidences'?" He let the question hang a moment before continuing; "I'll see you _rot_ – _that's_ what I'll see! I'll see you a–swingin' from those gallows outside o' Royal Court and I'll see you and all yer crew left to feed the crows in the courtyard!"

"But," Kazuomi swallowed, steadier this time; "you also understand, my good man, that you are, of course, on the wrong side of the law to be dealing judgement unto me."

The crew as one flinched as a fire appeared to flare in Fortune's eyes and vessels sprung to the surface of his temples.

But, to their surprise, he did not roar or growl nor even glare at their own Captain. Fortune turned, having apparently had enough of speaking with Kazuomi and waved an arm at his men.

"_Search the ship!"_

At once they sprang into action, many of them crossing the border between the two vessels, infiltrating the space of the Shining Black like insects marching en masse as one dark swarm. Several members of the Shining Black glanced sideways at one another when the invaders' backs were turned, exchanging nervous looks as they recalled their Captain's rush to get Princess Hinamori to a safe hiding place. Uncertainty was etched upon their faces as they wondered; _what would Fortune do if she were found? Where did they hide her? Why does Fortune take interest in her at all?_

Kazuomi roughly shoved past two crew members who had been much less subtle in their anxious expressions and the majority of his group received the message, dropping their gazes to the floor and avoiding any silent communication. Although, thankfully, Fortune did not appear to notice.

Great fear was felt as Fortune's crew stomped up and down the gangway, the hatchway; as they scuffed about in the dark down below and flung open the cabin doors behind Kazuomi. The planks jumped under every boot and faint clashes were heard underfoot as they tore the place apart. For a moment, there was a sudden cry of excitement coming from one of the cabins, but grumbling soon followed as the search party realised that they had not found their prize – the pink-haired, golden-eyed Amu Hinamori – but instead had discovered Utau in her own room. She was forced to emerge into the daylight, urged on by some ruffian who was looking particularly disgruntled at not having found the Princess.

"Cap'n," a lanky, dark-haired sailor who could have probably still passed as a child scuttled up to Fortune; "we've searched each deck," he glanced back to the group of pirates just then remerging from the hatch; "Cap'n, there's no sign of Her Highness aboard this ship."

And, just like that, a silent, but collective breath was released from just about every member of the Shining Black. A vessel in Fortune's temples twitched. His burning gaze swept over the frigate once more.

"Yer had better be positive about that, boy." He eventually seethed.

"Y-Yes, Cap'n," the boys head drooped in shame.

"There are two doors locked up over here, Captain," another shouted from the companionway; "but we can't hear no signs of no one inside. We could bash them two doors in if you'd like?"

Fortune thought for a moment. Kazuomi, suddenly feeling very confident, if not a little astonished, that they had not found any sign of Her Highness aboard, was just about to offer them the key to open up the sealed rooms when Fortune shook his head.

"No." he said, looking as if he'd tasted something sour – his lips pursed tightly together.. "There'll be no need for that." He clumped across the deck, past Captain Ichinomiya and onto the gangplank, idly pacing back towards his own ship. "I wouldn't pick our friend Kazuomi here to hide her in plain sight. Come on, lads. Let's be goin'."

Colour returned to Kazuomi's face as the last of the Dark Fortune's crew climbed from his ship and began to disappear onto their own God-forsaken galleon. The Shining Black was quiet as they prepared to set sail and, eventually, the wind blew suddenly as if to hurry along their departure.

Fortune, feeling the ship pick up speed as the wind blew stronger, leant over the rail of the poop deck and called out in one final warning;

"I'll be seein' you, Ichinomiya. You mark those words o' mine. I'll be seein' you."

And, with that, he waved his hand in a final parting and kept it raised there until, at last, the Dark Fortune became no more than a speck on the horizon – a moment for which they all waited in silence, neither daring to move nor so much as breathe.

~.~.~

No man alive aboard the Shining Black had ever seen his Captain sweat, but Kazuomi very much did so during their little gathering with their rival and so everyone was even more astonished to watch him openly remove his hat and dab away at his face with the silk handkerchief he kept in his top pocket.

"Lord Almighty," he said aloud, not caring whether anyone could see it, for he knew that they were all just as nervous at the mere mention of the notorious Fortune as he was. "Luck, it seems, was on our side," he continued, stuffing the cloth away and turning back to his crew to whom he rather uncharacteristically sighed, breathless; "Get back to work."

Slowly, each man shifted from his position and went back to half-heartedly picking up their unfinished tasks. Lookouts perched up above deck eyes the horizon warily as if the shadowy galleon might miraculously reappear and several of the younger crew mates, rather spooked after the whole ordeal, merely perched upon the gunwale, murmuring in hushed voices amongst themselves, idly trying to look as though they were busily cleaning.

As the clusters of men dispersed, Ikuto's eyes searched hurriedly amongst the crowd, seeking the familiar sight of blonde and violet. He cursed under his breath. She had not been expecting the visit, nor did she expect to be dragged, stunned from her only place of safety aboard the ship. He eventually saw Utau still stood above the companionway, but as soon as he made a move to go and meet her she was gone, scampering back into the safety of the indoors and he knew that she would want to be left alone a while before he invaded her personal bubble.

Oh, but how he wished to go and comfort her. His sister would not react well, he was sure, but she was gone – probably barricaded away in her cabin – and to fuss over her and console her and treat her like a fragile bring would likely hinder her recovery. She needed time to calm. So, instead, Ikuto stayed behind. Kazuomi was to his left and, for once, he spoke first;

"How did they find us?"

Normally, he might not have spoken, but, then again, this was not a normal situation. His stepfather seemed to recognise this too.

"We have been heading East this whole time," Kazuomi began, his words slow and steady as he worked through the puzzle in his brain; "Fortune has many contacts Eastwards far into the Orient, but still… To find a single ship in an entire sea…"

A moment passed as he mulled this over. A _'tch' _left his lips and his usual stony façade hardened returned as he apparently dropped the thought, striding swiftly towards the bulwark where he leant against the wood and observed his men at work.

"Retrieve Her Highness," he ordered, nodding in the direction of the two who had hidden her away earlier on. "And have her rest in her cabin for the remainder of the day."

The two in question nodded. _"Yes, sir."_

They scampered off and left their Captain to mop the last beads of sweat from his forehead in the midday heat.

~.~.~

Amu's glare could have killed a man dead on the spot as the lid of her barrel was slid out of place. Two sheepish pirate faces stared down guiltily at her, gingerly placing the top aside and offering their hands to haul her out.

And damn right they should look guilty too, Amu thought. What a way to manhandle a lady! And without so much as a word of warning! She grumbled to herself as she tried to manoeuvre her stiff joints beneath her. It had been hellish trapped in there – all hot and humid and reeking of old apples. When the heavy boot-steps had reached the level of the galley, Amu had shuddered and shivered in fear, for when she heard the crashing all about her and the gruff voices of seamen she did not recognise, muttering to one another as they went, she knew that something had gone wrong and she remembered the mystery ship that had headed towards them. She knew that they had boarded and had broken out in a cold sweat. Had they taken the ship, she wondered? Had they come aboard to plunder the Shining Black and rifle through the goods before blowing it to smithereens and watching it sink into the depths as they laughed, safely drifting away on their own sea-worthy vessel. For a moment also she had thought that perhaps they had been some privateer crew or even an old navy boat come to search for her and, just perhaps, that had been the cause of Captain Ichinomiya's rush to hide her.

But no. The danger had apparently passed and she, miraculously, had gone undetected – the foreign pirates having gone through about five full barrels before realising that most were full of stock and there was really nothing more to see. They had been wrong, of course, and she was relieved even as she stared daggers at the young man who still proffered one dusty hand down to her.

"We're–We're terribly sorry, Your Highness," one mumbled; "all for Your Highness' safety though, you understand."

"Yes…" Amu muttered grumpily. "I'm sure it was."

Aching from head to toe by now, Amu huffed, giving in and grasping at the pirate to lift herself up.

"The danger has passed now, Your Highness," the second began and he reached in to grab her arms and pull her up by the elbows; "an' even so, the Captain wants you–" And all of a sudden, the pirate stopped abruptly. Wordlessly, he hoisted the woman up, his mouth hung agape and his eyes squinting uselessly in the gloom.

Following his gaze, Amu froze. Her numb fingers gripped hard against the rough wood of the barrel as if bracing herself for the onslaught, for, in her haste, her cloak had loosened and the bright crystals of the Humpty Lock were burning golden in the candlelight like a beacon in the darkness.

~.~.~

"_SHE HAS IT!"_

A crash sounded as the hatch was flung upwards, rebounding off the planks with a clang and up through it emerged the two young seamen – their faces ashen, eyes wide.

"_Captain!" _one yelled. He winced as an elbow met his gut, yet he did not let go of the Princess who was thrashing wildly, resisting their grip. _"Captain Ichinomiya!"_

Every man on-deck turned to watch the spectacle and the determination of the two men as they dragged Amu who still struggled in their grasp like a mad, trapped creature.

"She has it! Her Highness – _she has it!"_

Kazuomi, from his vantage point on the upper-levels of the deck, turned slowly, frowning in genuine confusion. Before he could reply, one of the men tore the cloak from the Princess' shoulders and lifted from underneath the golden trinket – holding it up from the chain around her neck like a grand and golden prize. It glinted brilliantly in the sunlight – the reflections rebounding the light so that they were cast up into the sky and into the faces of many stunned pirates up above on the ratlines – and all around the men of the Shining Black paused to stare in wonder and awe of the Humpty Lock that they had sought for their Captain for so, so long.

Under their gaze, Amu finally ceased her resistance and her heart dropped. The jig was up and her eyes were wide with terror. She cast a glance to the side and saw Ikuto tense. She had never seen such a defeated look on a man's face and it made her horribly guilty.

"Well… Well I'll be damned…" Kukai's distant voice met her ears; _"That's it..!"_

Kazuomi gripped the railings to steady himself until his knuckles turned white. Confusion turned to amazement. "The… The Humpty Lock…"

And then amazement turned to rage.

Amu did not hear him stride towards her for the pounding of her own heart. The crew appeared to forget the torment they felt at the voice of Captain Fortune as their own leader drew up close to the Princess who, though released from the pirates' grip, stood frozen on the deck, shivering uselessly. His eyes bore through her like never before and the rage within them consumed her like a fire from which she could not escape. A low growl left his lips and she swore she was going to faint.

"So you really _do _have it!"

~.~.~


	23. Twenty-Three

~.~.~

"So you really _do _have it!"

The cold sound of metal on metal rang through the air as the Captain drew his cutlass and Amu's head began to spin. She stumbled and her back hit the main-mast, effectively halting any ideas of escape. She jumped as Ichinomiya was suddenly again before her and before she could even think of resisting, one large hand was roughly and painfully grasping one of her shoulders, shoving it back to pin her to the wooden beam.

"You…" Ichinomiya began, his words dark and full of threat; "You– _lying, deceitful little piece of royal FILTH!" _Kazuomi lost his cool and his cutlass came up against her throat – its sharp edge hot against her skin as she desperately gasped for air, open-mouthed like a terrified fish out of water. _"YOU HAD IT ALL ALONG!"_

Amu, unsure of what to do, swallowed nervously. Her throat was dry and her skin burned as her skin strained to move beneath the edge of the cutlass. Her mind all of a sudden blank, Amu stayed stiff against the mast, breathing heavily and waiting for the next wave of abuse.

"My Princess," Kazuomi continued, the words spat like poison and his tone now dropping deadly quiet; "do you recall what it is that I said to you some months back when you joined our humble little crew here?" A pause followed. No one spoke. "Lie to me and I end your life."

He then slowly – _painstakingly _slowly – tightened his grip on his blade, sliding it away from Her Highness' throat and in one smooth motion twisted it in his hand so that it came to rest above her heart. Amu breathed sharply as it jabbed at her breast and she felt it shuddering rapidly above the hammering of her heart. Gazing into the Captain's eyes, she realised that never before in her life had she felt such fear. Not when she had first met the Captain of the Shining Black; not when she had first awoken in a strange new cabin; nor even when she had heard the first gunshot from her coach in the darkness back on the mainland that would find her wound up in a whole new, alien world of sea travel and tyranny. The wrath to come was surely greater than all of those moments combined and she realised that she probably would not live to see the mainland ever again if Ichinomiya's rage held up the way it did right now.

"Come clean, missy," the man himself interrupted her thoughts; "before I grow impatient."

Her voice was small and weak in comparison. "C-Come clean?"

She clenched her fists and shut her eyes as Kazuomi, aggravated, grasped tighter at her shoulder. It was enough to scatter her thoughts and she completely lost all use of words. But Kazuomi was determined and he brandished his cutlass again to stir her into action.

"Your Humpty Lock," he said; "how long has the Lock been in your possession, Your Highness?"

"_E-Eight years!"_ she blurted under his unwavering gaze.

He was at a loss.

"Eight years?"

Amu nodded wordlessly.

An eternity seemed to pass before he withdrew his weapon, leisurely pacing away from her and sheathing it back into his belt. A wave of dizziness overcame Amu with the sheer relief of it. She breathed deeply, savouring every lungful of air and marvelling at the wonder of still being _alive _instead of speared through to the main-mast as she had envisioned just moments before.

The relief was short-lived, however, as Kazuomi was quick to march back, roughly grabbing her by the elbow, and pulled her away, heading back across the deck.

"It's about time we had another talk." He stated and there was no room left for argument. Amu complied, somewhat gladly, for she felt that with the initial terror over she may have had the strength to face the Captain in his cabin.

The crowd (who had apparently clustered around the mast to get a better view) parted obediently as they stormed through. At the bottom of the companionway, Kazuomi roughly shoved the Princess back in the direction of Ikuto who, snapped out of his idle state at one glance from his Captain, had tamely followed like a little lost puppy. He managed to steady her as the hem of her dress caught beneath her feet, but Amu had no time to thank him. They walked in silence to the Captain's cabin, each feeling the dread increase with every step.

~.~.~

Amu didn't resist – couldn't find the will to resist – as Kazuomi flung her onto the desk by the fabric of her sleeves. If he could let off some of his anger now without her provoking him, then she may have it a little easier later when she was forced to explain herself when he'd grown tired of manhandling her.

Parchment scrolls fluttered to the floor as she awkwardly shuffled onto her face to stare up at the man who towered above her. The Captain leant down and snarled at her;

"Hand me the Humpty Lock, Princess, else your head shall swing from the bowsprit."

By some miracle, Amu's trembling fingers were able to unclasp the chain from her neck and, though hesitant, she held it up to the light and waited for him to take it. At Kazuomi's eye-level the Lock still gleamed; the gold glinted and flashed in her eyes as if it were mocking her for her pathetic mistake. _'Stupid girl!'_ it seemed to spit. _"Stupid girl!'_

Kazuomi, his mouth hung open, gradually extended his hand and wrapped the chain around his fingers, taking his time as if it were just he and his treasure alone in the room. Taking the Lock from Amu's grip, he stopped for a moment, letting it dangle on the chain before cupping the pendant with his free hand. It seemed to her unlikely that she would ever hold the Lock between her own palms again as in that moment Kazuomi stared at his prize and he was totally and utterly captivated. The gleam and the crystal and the majesty – it all drew him in like a maelstrom amid stormy waves, like a moth is attracted to the candlelight or how the birds that visit in the summer are always drawn to their homes in the autumn. He felt the gold against his callous skin; he felt the weight of it press down on him and he marvelled at its beauty. He was entranced.

This was it. _This _was what he had been looking for. For all this time… And he had found it! He had it in his very hand and it was wondrous! Wondrous as the gold in the light illuminated his palm and as beautiful as he'd ever imagined. It shone like sunshine on the water; like lantern fire in the night; like the moon amongst the stars! Never in the many years had he ever been truly ready for this moment, he realised. His eyes clouded with lust and he could just taste victory on his tongue as he held this most crucial piece of the puzzle he had worked on for over a decade of his life. He was one step closer and he would reach the end of his journey before Fortune could even get a look-in.

The part of a greater goal was in his hands. And his heart craved more. And so he tore his eyes reluctantly from his prize and faced the sullen Princess he had dragged into his cabin.

Amu's heart sank as he balled up his fist – the Lock disappearing from her sight – feeling like a heavy weight in the pit of her stomach. It was all she had of home save the clothes off her back and it was her mother's treasured pendant – the necklace of a hundred queens..! And she had lost it to this awful beast of a man. She felt shameful – shameful for letting it go; shameful for being found so easily; even for being so stupid as to wear the thing every day! What was she thinking? It would have been found sooner or later, she told herself and yet Amu still cursed under her breath. She had promised Ikuto to keep it safe and, for some reason, that felt like the greatest burden of guilt of all. He was stood now (by the door as usual) with his hair falling across his face and she wondered if he despised her for what she'd done. She looked away.

"Now, Your Highness," Ichinomiya began, although he sounded already as if he were tired of her presence – no doubt wishing her to leave and be gone from his thoughts so he could sit and brood over his winnings some more; "Anything else you wish to tell me? Anything else you have hidden from my sight?"

Depressed and defeated having handed over her Humpty Lock, Amu shook her head quickly. "There is nothing more, Captain. I can assure you."

"Might I remind you," Ichinomiya snapped, footsteps rattling the boards under the furniture as he strode around her; "that it would be unwise to continue to withhold any information from me, Princess. You today have shown me that you are quite skilled at spinning filthy _lies _about others and I've no doubt you've enjoyed giving me the slip for so long, so…" He came to a pause at his chair and she got to her feet quickly whilst she was no longer trapped between him and the desk.

She shook her head some more. "I _assure _you, sir, there is nothing more for me to hide. I confess, I have deliberately kept this Lock a secret from you, but that is simply because it holds sentimental value to me," she tried desperately not to let her expression fail her as she tried to pull the wool over the Captain's eyes once again, though she felt ill and helpless at the thought that she was forced to prove his words right even if he did not realise it; "I understand your concern, Captain, and so I swear on all things good and holy and even the heavens themselves that I have nothing more to tell you of."

Some seconds of quiet followed as he let this sink in and, for a moment, Amu feared that he had seen straight through her deceitful words. But, just as she was dangerously close to letting her façade crumble, Kazuomi straightened up and nodded.

"Very well. I have my prize and so I shall take your work on the matter for now, but… Should I find out that you are lying to me once again then I shall personally see to it that you no longer live to deceive another man. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Captain."

Kazuomi hummed, apparently in approval, casting a sideways glance at his still-balled fist in which he still clutched the Lock he'd finally managed to take. "Assuming that you are being truthful, Your Highness–" Amu cringed at the subtle jab; "–then it is correct also that you have no knowledge of the other half?" He looked up under his hat, his stare hard and questioning.

Amu knitted her eyebrows together in mock-confusion. "The other half?"

"The secondary piece that pairs with the Humpty Lock. The Dumpty Key."

There was a poignant pause during which he continued to study her expression for any signs of deceit. Luckily for Amu, she managed somehow to hold herself together, yet beneath the skin her blood was chilled and her guilty conscience nagging at her because, of course, she knew exactly what and where the Dumpty Key was. She did not dare to let her gaze leave the Captain's. One look in Ikuto's direction and she would most likely cave in.

"Do you know of it?"

Amu shook her head before she could give herself away. "No, Captain." She said. "Of course, it would make sense for there to be a matching piece if it has a keyhole," she added, purely for effect; "but I do not know of it."

Kazuomi apparently believed her, for he lowered his fist, distracted, and cursed in frustration. "I need that Key." He muttered, mostly to himself.

"The two are important to you." Amu stated and she began to grow so bold after her lucky escape with the mad Captain that she dared to ask; "Pardon me, Captain, but what exactly are those two trinkets so important for?"

"That isn't your place to ask."

And that effectively ended the conversation much to her disappointment.

"You will stay in your cabin for the remainder of the day." Kazuomi stated, relaxing back in his chair and waving at Ikuto to get moving and escort her out of the room. Amu hung her head in shame and in frustration and meekly followed behind him. "Oh, and as a way of punishment," he added as she reached the door; "you shall not receive any meals from this point onwards."

Amu's jaw dropped. Overcome with a sudden surge of anger, Amu turned and stepped back into the musty cabin. _"Excuse me? _What makes you think that you can do such a thing? Do you wish to be charged with Her Royal Highness' _death _as well as imprisonment?"

"You have greatly displeased me, Miss Hinamori." was the breezy reply. "Perhaps you should have thought about the consequences of your actions when you had first lied to me. Good day, Your Highness."

She was ready to argue until she was granted the equivalent of a royal banquet delivered to her room each day, but before she could storm back in Ikuto had shut the door and ushered her down the corridor, leaving her to deal in silence with the whirlwind of emotions that had rushed through her in the past hour. Fear and terror and helplessness and the ever-present readiness for death… And then the shame and humiliation and the _infuriation…_

She slumped against the wall, deflated, as she waited for Ikuto to unlock her cabin door. "Am I really expected to starve to death aboard this ship?" she asked, her voice small and hoarse.

"He's a cruel man." Was all he said in reply.

"Ikuto…" Amu reached out to place a hand upon his arm. He blinked at her, unsure of what to say and at a complete loss as he stared into the most pleading pair of eyes he had ever seen. "Why am I here? _Why _am I here?"

Ikuto's heart almost broke at the waver in her voice. She had been so resilient in the face of the Captain that day and now here she was about to fall into defeat on him. It was unexpected and he didn't like it one bit. It was all Kazuomi's fault. The man was scum.

"Ikuto, I've had enough of this! Firstly I am abducted and held a prisoner and kept here under Captain Ichinomiya's watch; then I am expected to stay here and obey his rules without so much as a– as a _hint _as to why he keeps me within his sight! Why is it that I am still alive and breathing despite having handed over the Humpty Lock? What _is it _that you Captain wants from a person like me?"

Briefly, Ikuto was reminded of the night he had stood with her on the deck – the night he had shown her the Dumpty Key that matched her Lock. He had shown her and he had robbed her of that beautiful gift known as plausible deniability that ensured she would be safe from Kazuomi's wrath should he ever find it. He wanted to sigh, guilty for it, but she was just so lost and helpless sometimes and it screamed to him that she did deserve to know. '_But should he tell her?' _was the question biting at his thoughts. He stood, hesitant to respond.

On the one hand, it was his fault. He had told her to keep it hidden and if he hadn't then she would have avoided the brunt of the Captain's rage. The thought made him feel so low that he didn't want to face her.

It must have been awful to hand over that Lock. It must have been hellish, he thought, to just let it go after all this time and then to receive absolutely no explanation whatsoever – especially if it meant her cooped up on a pirate ship with no chance of freedom in sight. Ikuto knew how that felt and it was a constant chain around his neck, weighing him down into the depths of hopelessness and despair until all he wanted to do was crawl away into the dark decks of the ship and never breathe another word to anyone ever again because to live was just so _bleak. _Ikuto didn't want that for Amu. And for all her troubles she had absolutely nothing to show for it. Her family heirloom was taken from her – something precious and close to her heart. Like his Key. He thought of it in his pocket; he thought of how it had come to him and how it still remained his most important possession to date.

"You didn't say anything," Ikuto said quietly – so quietly that Amu almost didn't hear. "You didn't say anything about my Key." The realisation baffled him. She knew she would be murdered if she was found lying to Kazuomi again and yet still she covered up his tracks. He didn't understand it.

Amu blinked cluelessly, the topic having come from nowhere. "No, I didn't. I said I wouldn't…"

"Amu, I'll tell you. I promise I'll tell you why you're here," Ikuto said and he noticed the ways her eyes lit up in an instant; "but answer me this… Why did you pretend not to know about my Dumpty Key?"

Under his gaze, Amu hesitated, looking almost sheepish. She looked down at her feet and twiddled her fingers together as she tried to string an answer together. Ikuto looked on as she started to stammer away and watched her pale cheeks turn the slightest of pink. The word 'adorable' briefly came to mind and he tried not to smirk, remembering the seriousness of the situation, but he chuckled mentally at the sight.

"W-Well," Amu stammered; "I-it appears that Ichinomiya gives you enough trouble as it is… And– Well, I said I wouldn't. That and, well, you said that a relative gave it to you… I realise that it must mean quite a lot and so…" she trailed off quietly before putting her hands on her hips and shrugging. "Besides, the Dumpty Key isn't mine to give away in the first place!" Ikuto laughed quietly to himself, stopping her from continuing. She flushed a second time at his reaction and folded her arms. "Oh, just open the door, Ikuto."

A smile twitching at his lips, Ikuto did as asked and gestured for her to enter her cabin. He had not really seen flustered Amu and it was really quite entertaining when he thought about it. He wondered if he could make it happen more often.

"There'll be wondering where I've got to out there," he told her, leaning up against the doorframe; "so I won't tell you anything now." Amu opened her mouth to argue, but he held up a finger and effectively silenced her. "I'll come back later tonight when the rest of the crew go below deck for the night. No interruptions. I promise."

"Okay…" Amu nodded, excitement rising within her chest in anticipation for the night to come.

"Oh," he added as an afterthought; "and thanks for keeping everything to yourself."

The Princess smiled gently. "Ikuto, I'm not exactly going to give you up just like that. Not when you trusted me with it."

Her reward was a grateful smile she'd never seen before and, though her stomach began to ache with hunger and her body weary after the day's labours, it was a memorable sight that kept her feeling warm and cheery long after he'd left her alone in the little cabin.

~.~.~


	24. Twenty-Four

~.~.~

"All taverns have been searched, Commander."

"And all suspects found?"

"Yes, Commander."

"And all Captains taken into custody?"

"Yes, Commander."

Tadase tapped the end of his staff into the sand and dust, watching as it swirled and sifted beneath the weight, and its end was like a beacon of blue light in the waning afternoon. "Perfect. Thank you."

The faceless naval man bowed low before returning to his post. All along the sheltered cove stood military men – Tadase's own military men in colourful uniform and perfect order like little tin men arranged neatly in a child's playroom. Behind them the majestic royal ships of His Majesty's naval force lined the docks and towered over the scraggy, battered, beaten little sloops that were scattered across the horizon; without order, without permission and ugly on the face of the water. They gathered and huddled like flies above a stagnant pool, Tadase thought and he grimaced at them. He did not fear them as so many did. They were cowardly.

Tadase stood on the edge of the quays that marked the cove and stared at the clusters of buildings that clung onto the hillsides and the slopes of the small island he had stepped ashore upon. The island was notorious. It was well-known to all who lived in Seiyo; to all who had heard of the dreadful deeds of the pirates that lurked in national waters, waiting like predators to snap up merchant ships that crossed their paths and drag them down into the deep, hoarding their goods and killing their men. Tadase stood and gazed up at the steep inclines of the terrain and scowled. Every building had been built by the hands of a pirate – every inn; every tavern; every brothel; every shop had been built by and for the use of buccaneers. It made him want to burn them all – to wipe their mark off the face of the landscape forever. They killed innocent men and torched their ships; their homes; stole their possessions and their livelihoods and to think that they had been allowed to group and fester and _grow _in a place such as this… It made him sick.

And that was why, of course, the Commander was there. Not only could he perhaps find a clue as to where Her Highness had gone, but he would also be able to make his mark on the place. The King had offered some time ago a pardon to these unlawful rats – a pardon giving to any who would take it the offer of renouncing piracy and forgiveness for all their past crimes in exchange that they would take up alternate lifestyles on lawful terms. Those who had accepted usually took up farming or became merchant sailors, however the turnout rate was usually poor and the majority of men who took their pardon had often gone back to thieving and buccaneering within a few months, for much greater profit could be had if you had not paid for your goods in the first place. Here Tadase would punish those who had rejected the kindness of the King and, at the same time, investigate the disappearance of his fiancée. Two birds with one stone. It was a perfect opportunity.

The tropical breeze came strong from the water and the salt was thick under Tadase's nose. Behind him, the sun had almost set, sinking beneath a horizon burnt red with light. The sheltered side of the cove had blackened, the contrast stark with the island itself that still glowed like amber under candlelight, yet it fell into shadow with each passing second and soon the entire island would be dull as a coal burnt out. The fire would go out in this town soon enough, Tadase pondered, as in the distance his men still worked on the raid. No stone would be left unturned; no building untouched; no corner unchecked. It would be ruthless and cold and unfitting of a still summer night washed with the pale orange of the tropical sun… But it would be worth it, even though many streets had already been splashed with blood. Sabres had been drawn, pistols primed and, for a short while, their raid had fallen into chaos. The pirates didn't know how to help themselves, Tadase thought. They didn't know when to stand in line.

As he dwelled on this, the sound of many footfalls came marching down the main road that wound its way up the length of the island and many men in uniform appeared in rows of two leading between them several scruffy and some drunken men whose hands were bound with rope – like puppies they followed with their tails between their legs down to the level of the quays. There they halted, were organised into a line and awaited to be held in the belly of one of the men-of-war that sat calmly in the docks. Most grumbled, cursing their captors. Others were silent, perhaps withdrawn from the world under the influence of many rounds of booze.

His nose wrinkling under the sudden wave of cheap alcohol, Tadase stepped over to the man who had spoken to him earlier.

"This it?" he asked, eyeing each pirate Captain with a steely determination in his eyes.

The young man nodded. "Yes, Commander. Twelve of them we found here, though all deny any involvement in Her Highness' disappearance. But, nonetheless, here they are."

The Commander nodded. He took in the appearance of each and every one of the twelve Captains who stood now before him in the evening light. Their backs against the entrance to the cove, they were cast into shadow and the silhouettes of their sorry, weather-worn bodies spread out far in front of them. Their darkened faces Tadase could at best make out and it was as if they were veiled and the Commander only allowed a fleeting glimpse into the true gloom and blackness of the pirate world. He cast his eyes over each of them and he saw that some were old and frail and most probably only the Captains of old, dying crews that were fading and dimming in the shadows of some of the more successful, younger rivals out there. Several of those were among them. There were about six who Tadase could safely say were truly leaders of men regardless of the type of business they indulged in. Whereas the hunched–over forms of older Captains were unkempt and filthy and their clothing patched and grey, these few were dressed in bold and bright coats with fine breeches and shiny brass buttons. Their hats were newly embroidered, their beards trimmed and they stared back at this figure of the law with bright eyes and challenging smirks. They stood out amongst those other aged lot and the other few who were, at present, too drunk to stand and Tadase had to admit to himself that they were really the only ones here who he thought capable of abduction.

"Alright," he began and he took a deep breath of sea–air to ready himself. He saw some of the younger, cockier pirate begin to get rowdy as their bounds were secured. "Allow any man of any of these crews who wishes to give any information the privilege to do so. They may be offered sympathy at their trial for cooperation if they wish to tell the truth in the stead of their company, but give but one chance before they make for the mainland. Understood?"

"Yes, Commander."

"And give these ruffians here our most unpleasant cells in the brigs."

"Of course, Sir."

Casting a glance at their prisoners once more, Tadase sighed to himself. It would be long before they could set off again with the amount of buccans they had captured. A stop at the mainland would be needed before they could continue. That was, of course, if they didn't get any information. The Captains would be questioned later that night and Tadase would have to be present and so, having overseen the raid more than enough already, he made to head off for his quarters on the Seraphic Charm. He would discuss the preparations with his colleagues and would have to freshen up if he was to appear completely respectable when he faced the criminals later on.

But it was when he first reached the edge of the quay that the commotion started. He heard only angry muttering and cursing at first then followed by the sound of shuffling on stones. Louder it became until the _'shing!' _of a saber being drawn hit Tadase's ears and it was then that he turned, alarm bells ringing out shrilly in his head, and began to sprint back towards the crowd.

His mouth fell open. A naval man lay on the ground (one of the ones who had led the pirates down to the docks, Tadase thought), his shoulder cut open, bleeding profusely between the shreds of his uniform. In the mere seconds his back bad been turned one of the Captains – one of the younger, smug-looking ones that made Tadase's gut uneasy – had produced a concealed dagger from the inside of his boot and he waved it now; pointing it threateningly at the many guards who had surrounded him. His bonds had been cut, presumably by himself, and the officers looked at him warily, knowing that the man clearly would have more tricks up his sleeve.

Tadase made his way to the edge of the circle and placed a hand on the hilt of his saber, glaring menacingly at the plucky prisoner. "Stand down, Captain," he ordered with just a hint of mocking in his voice; "else you won't make it off this island."

"Ah," the pirate sneered; "I think I can do that. Sounds mighty nice, stayin' here. But wouldn't you boys all like to join me?"

He lunged forwards, in Tadase's direction, but the other naval men were fast and they pushed forwards, forcing him back, and attempting to surround the man to restrain him, but to no avail. He was fast and he slid sideways and he drew his dagger. Several men cried out as he slashed wildly like a bloodthirsty animal. They staggered backwards, not deeply cut, but shocked. All but one still stood to face their dangerous opponent. The young recruit, realising he now stood alone, trembled visibly and the pirate Captain smirked horribly and raised his arm. With alertness and stealth he had only managed to perfect through combat, Tadase swerved and leapt across the quayside, swiftly unsheathing his saber in one, smooth move and just in time deflected the blow intended for the poor new recruit. The recruit fumbled with his sword uselessly and apologetically, prepared for next time, and the pirate staggered on unsteady feet.

But now the Commander and the Captain faced each other and Tadase looked down briefly at the other's weapon. It was small, but it was jagged and rusty and coloured with the blood of many other men. He swallowed.

"Captain–!"

The crazed man lunged again, brandishing the dirty knife. Tadase's sword locked with his and he tried to push him back, but the dagger was much smaller than his own and he had to get much too close to fight the man, not to mention that the sudden attack had alarmed him so. The Captain hobbled on his feet, far, _far _too close to the Commander…

Tadase tried to jump back, but he was too close. In one last, clumsy move the pirate slashed once more and the Commander grit his teeth in pain.

At that moment gunshots cracked, splitting the evening air, and the man fell to his side – struck in the chest. Gunpowder lingered in the air, stronger now as the shooter – a more senior officer – dashed to the scene of the attack and knelt down behind Tadase.

"Commander!" he said, placing a hand firmly on his shoulder. "Commander, are you well?"

Hunched over on the filthy floor of the docks, Tadase glanced down at his left-hand side. The space beneath his fingers was warm and slick. He pushed back the sudden, overwhelming wave of nausea and breathed deeply.

"I am well." He replied, trying to keep his voice as firm as possible. He looked up at the crowd that had formed around the body of the pirate and almost felt like screaming in frustration. They would get no information out of a dead man. But he had more to worry about at that moment than one dead prisoner. A doctor had been sent for him and he reluctantly had to uncover the wound he had tried to hide. "I'm fine." He tried to say as the doctor helped him stand, although a sweat built up upon his brow and his words sounded desperate and forced, for he knew far too well how a serious injury could affect his mission.

"I'm fine." was all he said as they escorted him to the doctor's quarters. "I'm fine…"

~.~.~

Amu had not been able to keep still the whole day. Time dragged slowly, dragging itself lethargically forwards she thought, and many times during the long hours in which she had been confined to her cabin she had sworn that she'd nearly gone mad with the isolation. Of course, she had spent just as long in a single space before back at home in the Palace, but then there had always been someone keeping check on her or coming in to tutor her. Many long hours she had spent simply at on her bed with Rima and the two had been content in each other's company for as long as the maid was allowed to be there, but here there was no one to interrupt the silence. There were no maids or tutors or guards stood outside to remind her that, though she felt alone, she always had someone there for her whom she could talk to if she was uncomfortable by herself for too long and she had been allowed to wander the halls if she had someone with her. But here the quiet stretched far longer than the space of time and Amu was almost upset that she couldn't be in the sun outside; surrounded by pirates and busy with chores; never alone until the sun began to set and she was permitted rest.

It had been the strangest day, the Princess mused. She pressed her face against the cool of the window to better look up at the moon in the night sky. It shone bright and her milky skin was illuminated in an ethereal glow. The moon was almost as lonely as she felt. At least it had the stars beside it to light up the darkness. She felt she had not even that as the Captain locked her up and cut her from the few acquaintances she had actually managed to make during her time on the Shining Black.

She longed for company. She longed for her acquaintances to make an unexpected appearance. Ikuto was supposed to see her that night and she could not settle herself. The anticipation almost killed her! Her stay here had been long and for all that time she had felt like Captain Ichinomiya had shrouded her in darkness – obstructing her view and shielding her from the truth; from just exactly why she had been brought aboard this ship. Yet tonight her eyes would be opened and tonight Ikuto would visit her and she would have the truth.

"_I promise."_

A smile crept across Amu's face at the thought, but still she couldn't help but feel nervous. She felt almost foolish for allowing her hopes to rise so high at the thought that he would actually reveal all to her just like that, but she quickly shushed any part of her brain that thought that Ikuto was being dishonest to her. It was the anxiety talking.

"Ikuto would not make an empty promise."

And she was sure of it. He may have been a pirate, but she did not believe for a second that he was a liar – not without good reason anyway. She just didn't and her heart warmed at the thought that, for all he might be, he was, deep down, incredibly considerate. Perhaps he was aloof and somewhat reserved, but he had done nothing in the time she'd known him to suggest that he was a bad person. It was an act – his indifference – she was sure.

She had heard him across the corridor in Utau's room that afternoon, speaking softly so as not to be heard, but Amu had good hearing and, leant up against the door, she had made out most of their conversation. She had listened as Utau – strong, fiery, intimidating Utau – sniffled, her sobs muffled desperately and her voice hoarse.

"_I thought they were going to grab me, Ikuto, I – I thought they were going to–"_

And his voice… So calm and caring – a tone of his that she had never heard so gentle before as he comforted her.

"_Utau,"_

"_I thought it was going to be like that day!"_

"_It'll never be like that day again, Utau."_

"_And they grabbed me to live on this God–awful ship!"_

"_Shh…"_

Her heart warmed at his kindness and at the bond she had never witnessed before, Amu had moved away, giving them their privacy and feeling guilty for eavesdropping in on such a tender moment. Though it hurt her, she admitted, to recognise that even Utau could break. Even the most resilient could be reduced to an emotional wreck when confronted with a traumatic memory and it seemed that the arrival of the Dark Fortune had stirred something deep within her that never should have been allowed to see the light of day again. Utau's strength was for the most part in her façade. Amu saw that now and it made her hate whoever had dared to ruin that young girl's life so badly.

But she had Ikuto and that was a promising thought. She was not alone. She had a brother who stuck by her and would come to comfort her and show rare signs of compassion when she needed it most. Even to Amu he had been wonderfully considerate and the more she thought of him… The more she was grateful to have him there with her on the Shining Black. Amu could have been left with one of Ichinomiya's brutes! She could have been left with a cutthroat or a pervert or a thug to guide her through the day, but no. She had gotten Ikuto and she was fairly sure that she wouldn't have wanted anyone else. Just the thought of seeing him that night... It made her stomach twist in ways she hadn't experienced before. The feeling was… _odd._

But then again she wasn't quite sure what she felt as a sudden sharp pain and a wave of light-headedness had her collapsing back down onto the edge of her bed. Of course. She had not had a bite to eat since breakfast that morning and, thanks to the introduction of Captain Ichinomiya's new rule, it seemed that she would not have another for quite some time.

Amu was just beginning to lament over her loss of regular mealtimes when it hit her ears – the jingle of keys from the other side of the door. She stood to greet him as Ikuto entered, looking over his shoulder before closing the door and dumping on her table a small, woven bag.

Amu smiled. "You kept your word, Ikuto."

The pirate raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Were you expecting me to have broken me promise?"

Amu opened her mouth only to find that she had no reply. She looked down at the floor, suddenly feeling very guilty at this thought, but she shrugged, hoping he wouldn't get the wrong idea. "I'm relieved." She finally said.

Ikuto waved a hand as if in dismissal as he wandered further into the room. "Don't worry about it," he said, sounding not one bit offended. "I wouldn't have expected you to be so trusting."

"What's in this?" The Princess asked, moving over to the table where he'd placed the little bag and peered into it. "Is this..?" she trailed off, completely astonished. It was completely full of food. Apples and crackers and grapes; roughly-cut slices of bread; leftover roasted chicken; a block of cheese; a couple of lemons… "You've brought me food!" Amu exclaimed, completely over the moon. The idea of starving had plagued her for most of the afternoon! And yet here was an entire pirate-style course! She looked round at Ikuto who had made himself comfy, half-sprawled out on the bed, leaning up against the headboard. He looked as though he wanted to reply, but stayed silent. She didn't call him out on it. "Thank you, Ikuto!"

She took out one of the apples and the portion of chicken, frowning at it for a moment. "But this is far more than my average ration! Are you perfectly sure this is okay?" She glanced over at him, worried. "Someone will notice, surely, if the stocks run low."

"Amu," he began, almost sighing and slowly – as if taking to a child; "you have not eaten a thing since this morning and most likely will not eat again until I can bring you more."

That was true, she reasoned. She would save the things that lasted longer, she decided, coming to join Ikuto on the edge of the bed and wolfishly biting into the fruit. She could have moaned in satisfaction. The juice felt nothing short of heavenly in her mouth; the taste was divine and the feel of food in her mouth was something she would never take for granted ever again. She swallowed and revelled in the sensation as her stomach was able to get to work again. Something so simple had never felt so fulfilling. And to think that Ikuto had thought to bring her some made her feel almost giddy.

But, underneath it all, a seed of worry had planted itself in the back of her mind as she remembered: _'until I can bring you more'. _What if the Captain began to grow suspicious when she didn't die of starvation? What is someone noticed the food supply go down? What if Kazuomi put two and two together and realised..?

It didn't bear thinking about; at least, not for now. Amu decided to drop the thought until some other time, still remembering that they had much to discuss that night as it was and still incredibly flattered knowing what Ikuto had done for her – _and _without prompt. She didn't wish to spoil it quite so soon.

"Anyway," Amu started, swallowing the last of her apple and turning to look at the pirate's face, lit by the moonlight that filtered through the window; "you assured me that you'd explain why your Captain keeps me aboard this ship."

She stared at him expectantly for a moment or two before Ikuto nodded and shifted to face her back. It would be quite a night.

~.~.~


	25. Twenty-Five

~.~.~

"You know, I'm astonished," Ikuto said first and foremost; "that you don't know anything about the Lock that brought you here in the first place."

Amu found herself reaching up to her neck for the item in question only to realise that it was no longer there – laying instead in the hands of a dirty, thieving buccan just down the hall. The lack of weight around her neck was strange and she missed dearly the cool touch of gold against her chest, but in a sense there was also just a hint of relief. The Lock had been taken from her and she was no longer forced to keep it hidden, though the consequences of so many weeks blatantly lying to her captors' face were yet unclear. Amu pushed the thought to the back of her mind and tried to remain in the present rather than brooding on her less than bright future.

"I know that it is an heirloom." Amu began, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of apple-skin. "I know that it was handed down to me from my mother and from her mother before that and I know that it was always said to bring whoever wore it some sort of fortune or '_good luck'_, although I'm not so sure of that. My mother did love to tell me fairy-stories…" She paused briefly, glancing over almost hesitantly. "And, of course, I know that it has its own Key…"

Ikuto's lips twitched into something that might have been a smile, but he ducked his head too soon as he looked to reach a hand into his pocket and bring out the very topic of discussion. The Dumpty Key fell from the young man's fingers, dancing on its chain, twinkling golden in the light by the window and as it swayed something of a smile really did appear on Ikuto's face. It was a light that glowed in the dark of the cabin; the warm fondness of some long-kept memory touching the blue of his eyes; a complete and very welcome change for the Princess to see and so she did not interrupt him or prompt him to continue as they sat together staring at the little trinket for some time.

"There is a lot that you don't know about your Lock, Amu." Ikuto eventually said, lowering his prized possession and letting it sit still in his palm, still somewhat distracted by whatever emotion had taken hold of him.

"Such as?"

An almost teasing grin broke out across his face. "Such as it having its own Key?"

"I wha–!" What was supposed to be a cool and dignified argument came out as an indignant splutter, only fuelled further as that terribly _difficult _man began to snigger. "I've told you I knew about your Key! Have you been listening or was this meeting just a waste of time because, let me tell you, you'll be straight out! I'm not taking it after the day I've had!"

"Princess, my point was that you never really knew this Key existed until I showed you last night," he explained, though still visibly amused. Amu huffed at that infuriatingly cheeky face and tried not to focus on the warmth it brought her heart. "You never knew about the significance of this Key or your Lock until you came aboard this ship." Ikuto continued. His amusement was fading now and Amu had a feeling that their conversation was finally taking a more serious turn. "And perhaps you should have. Perhaps you would have worn it less – or at least not so obviously in public." He paused to put his Key safely back into his pocket. "There are a lot of people who would kill to get their hands on such a piece. And some of them _have."_

Amu swallowed thickly. A chill ran through her body. The memory of Captain Ichinomiya's murderous gaze came back into her mind and for the first time she wondered just how much blood must have covered his hands and how many lives must have been lost under his own doing. The thought would have made her sick had she not been so hungry and she quietly munched the last of her apple to try and settle her stomach.

"You learnt that the Lock supposedly brings its wearer fortune, but the other half of the legend says that the Key is an object that can grant its owner power and there are many men in the world whose lives are driven by the desire to rule in one way or another."

Amu shivered, the apple suddenly tasting quite bitter in her mouth. "I'm sure I can think of one."

"Kazuomi has the Humpty Lock now…" Ikuto said, his voice low and distant. "He's going to search for the Key with far more determination than he ever has done… He wants it. I doubt he'll ever stop."

"But… But, it's…" Amu paused, her brow furrowed in confusion. She shook her head and laughed a little at the stupidity of it all. "But it's _just_ a _legend_!" she burst out. "It's nothing more! It's a story! An old wives' tale! A myth! It's… It's a _fairy-story_. How can mere pieces of gold and crystal bring any sort of strange power upon whoever owns it? How can objects hold supernatural and unearthly magic? You're not honestly going to tell me that it really _is _magic, are you now, Ikuto? Because if that is the case here then I shall go mad surrounded by superstitious pirates chasing after powers that don't exist!"

"Gold brings avarice." Ikuto stated simply. "Jewels bring greed also, but that is little compared to the allure of gold. And that's really what this is all about." He shifted on the bed a moment and leaned back which was quite inconvenient for Amu, it turned out, as the light of the moon outside fell across him and beneath his thin shirt the shadows of muscles toned after countless days of labour at sea were suddenly darkened and far more obvious than they had ever been in the daylight. She made a point to stay sat in the shadows in the hope that he wouldn't notice the way her face blossomed into red. Oblivious, he continued;

"The legend – the myth, the tale, the superstition… the _fairy-story_, whatever you wanna call it – it's far more than that, Princess. Every pirate has heard the story. And if they hadn't already they do now that you've disappeared. The Lock and the Key… Power and fortune are only perks, I suppose, of obtaining the two."

Amu raised an eyebrow. "Perks?"

"There's a treasure." Ikuto stated and it was all that Amu needed to become well and truly hooked again. "A Great Treasure. Worth more than all the spoils of war and rivalry on the seven seas; worth more than any of the old pirate hoards of the south or the jewel mines in the east; thought to be worth more than the crown on your father's head. Or so they say. If anyone has ever found it since its hiding no one knows." He paused for a moment, his hand now resting above his pocket, above the golden chain that had just slid back into view. "But Kazuomi is searching for it. And to find it he needs both the Lock and the Key. The two weren't made to be kept apart. There's a secret hidden inside your Locket that, when opened, will lead the way to fortune – wealth and riches beyond measure. The Lock is arguably the most important piece of the puzzle... All he needs now is the Key."

The statement hung in the air, foreboding and dark. On that dismal note an uneasy silence fell about the room during which Amu frowned to herself, trying to take it all in. It was so unbelievable. So petty. A treasure-hunt… Something that could have only come out of a sea-story and yet these men appeared to take it all so seriously that they had been willing to kidnap a Princess for it – a member of the Royal family!

"How did it come into my family?" Amu suddenly thought aloud. "How did the key to pirate gold come into the royal lineage?"

Ikuto shrugged and shook his head little as if it were the least important part of the story, hardly worthy of mention, but he answered nonetheless; "It's thought that the gold was first found by men of the King's navy as they hunted a notorious pirate Captain and that the treasure is an entire lifetime's worth of his unlawful reign at sea. But fact becomes mixed with fiction and seamen like to tell tales and twist the truth if it makes the story more interesting.

"Anyway, the King had them move it somewhere secret (Seiyo was at war, one version of the story says, and he didn't want enemy fleets to take it for themselves) and he had the Lock and Key made and hid the location of the hoard inside them, disguising them as gifts to his children so that he could always guard his secret." A tired sigh escaped his lips as if he were sick to death of hearing the story he was telling, having lived with it for so long; "And then the King was betrayed. The story is unclear from then, but someone stole the Key and it eventually fell into the hands of criminals. Many men have killed for that Key–" he swallowed with difficulty; "–and many have died because of it. Kazuomi is obsessed. He will go to great lengths to get it. He is desperate enough to kill for it." He spat the words as if they tasted like poison in his mouth – as if they stung his tongue and burned the insides of his cheeks. "And the reason you're still here, Amu, is because Kazuomi believes that the Royal family may still have something to do with the Key. He thinks you know where it's hidden and he's not prepared to let you go until he's certain that he has it in his grasp. He is desperate. He feels he cannot _afford_ to let you go."

It took a moment or two to sink in, her mind still reeling with all this new information as it was, but eventually the Princess shook her head and laughed a little without mirth. "He's so insistent that I know the whereabouts of this Key despite everything I have said…" she murmured, mostly to herself, but Ikuto looked on, a pang of sympathy for the woman in his chest. She didn't deserve it, he thought to himself over and over again. He watched as she sighed; "Although I suppose that everything I say is a lie in his eyes."

"Because he knows your family have kept the Lock for so long," Ikuto explained; "and he's an old, paranoid man. I don't know how he learned of this story to begin with, but it let loose something dangerous within him – some primal lust for power or wealth. But, whatever it was, it was strong enough for him to change into something completely different than he ever thought he'd become. Kazuomi used to hunt pirates. He used to drag them to the gallows himself – he used to talk of purging the entire sea to rid the world of filth..! Kazuomi used to serve the King!"

The words hit Amu like the bullet of a gun – like the Captain had taken that pistol from within his draw and aimed at her chest, barrelling into her like the wind of a storm in the sails. She was at a loss for words. She stared into Ikuto's eyes, searching for any trace of a lie. There was none. It stung like nothing she'd ever felt before.

"My father?" she managed to get out, her voice small and faint.

Ikuto nodded. "He was close enough to become a loyal hand to your father. He saw you or your mother wear it. I'm sure that's how he first became involved."

She felt a surge of hot rage rise up within her because, to think! Kazuomi had wormed his way that close to her and betrayed her family and she'd never even noticed! She'd never even seen him before! Granted, she had never formally met most of her father's advisors and various aids, but he had very clearly known about _her _and it was bloody disturbing! He must have crept in through the shadows and spied on her when she least suspected..!

"It astonishes me that one man could become so radically different all for the sake of riches!"

"He has become sadistic and cruel – driven by greed; driven by competition. There are rumours that he and Fortune are engaged in some strange race for the gold. They have a history – that we know – but we don't know exactly what _kind _of history, so I'm not sure how true these rumours are… But, either way, he's turned his back on his own country and become something notorious. And it's all for this Great Treasure." He sighed. "And it might not even be real. Pirates' stories are more often than not twisted beyond all recollection of their original beginnings and deluded like the crews that tell them."

"And you keep it on you!" Amu suddenly burst out in complete disbelief, her jumbled thoughts going a mile a minute. "You _know_ that Captain Ichinomiya yearns for it – for your Key – and yet you _still_ keep it stowed away in your pocket! _Why? _Ikuto, you've said he will kill for it and I do not doubt you! He is vile and disturbing and the thought that he could infiltrate the Royal Palace and watch me so closely without my knowledge sickens me, but I know full well that he is capable of far worse treachery. Is the risk not great enough? Why do you not hide it someplace safe?"

As the woman finished her little outburst, eyes still wide on him, Ikuto paused. Amu watched him as he thought deeply to himself, cautiously, almost hesitant to answer and she slunk back on the bed, worried for a moment that she'd asked the wrong question. But it was her night to ask! It was the night for her to get the answers she deserved and so she waited as he took his few seconds to respond.

"It's far less of a risk." Was all he said. It was simple and it left Amu a little unsatisfied, but still she folded her arms and listened. "Nowhere's safe on this ship. There's nowhere to hide it. Kazuomi wouldn't ever suspect it to have been with me the whole time. He hasn't once searched me for it in the years I've carried it." A smirk; "And where better to hide it than right under his very nose?"

"Well you are _both _fools." The woman huffed, although it did occur to her that he had been so badly beaten down under his Captain's rule that Kazuomi most probably thought too little of Ikuto to consider him capable of anything so cunning and she felt a pang of sympathy for the man. She waved it off. Ikuto's strategy did have merit, she supposed, if he had managed to keep the Dumpty Key secret for so long, but it was still a gamble that he most certainly couldn't afford to lose.

"I don't quite understand, though, how he has been able to search so extensively, like you suggest." She continued, changing the subject to something that did truly intrigue her. "You said he will go to great lengths in the hopes of finding this Great Treasure, but the Shining Black hasn't been spotted near land in years. If he is sure that my family know of its existence then why has he spent all his time cruising at sea? Surely it would be more effective for him to come ashore – he surely should have stayed close to my father if he'd wanted to take the Humpty Lock so badly. How can he be so desperate if all he's done is hide from our sights?"

At that Ikuto allowed himself an amused chuckle, the mirth in his eyes like stars in a midnight heaven. "We're not at sea _all _the time!"

Feeling quite foolish, Amu sheepishly looked away, her cheeks flushing pink. "It's a valid question." She insisted, somewhat defensive, her arms tightly folded, but that only made Ikuto smirk more. "I'd very nearly forgotten this ship existed!"

"Ah," Ikuto exhaled, bringing up one of his knees and resting his chin on it; "I admit I do prefer it that way. When I said 'great lengths' I meant it. Years ago he would often take to raiding buildings on–land. Either he would do the dirty work himself or hand the task to his gangs."

And with that something very quickly reappeared in Amu's mind. She remembered the devastation and the horrors left behind – the aftermath of the Shining Black's old infamous raids. Burning buildings; ashen faces; cutlasses dripping red with blood as the smoke drifted black into the night sky…

"No one ever knew what they wanted…" she murmured distantly, the pieces slowly sliding into place in her mind. The realisation came upon her like a ray of sunlight breaking through the clouds, showing bare all that had lain under darkness for many years. "Those raids were to gather information on the Lock and Key…"

Beside her Ikuto spoke and his voice was low and lifeless and there was a darkness in his eyes – a heavy, brooding darkness. "Anyone who might have known. Anyone who might have had research. Anyone who had been connected to the royal line. Anyone…" he trailed off, his gaze lowering to the ground and he withdrew himself from the world, all of a sudden apparently lost in himself and in his own troublesome thoughts. A silence filled the room and as the night wore on he gazed into the dark and the ship groaned softly over the regular swell of the tides below.

Amu watched him closely and her heart sank as she recognised the cold and far–off expression she had grown to hate. He was gone – alone with worries she could not guess. She felt another flare of anger, for she knew deep down that all of this had been inflicted by none other than the notorious Captain Ichinomiya. She realised then that she didn't truly know just how deeply scarred his own father must have left him; how maddening and torturous it must have been to stay on this ship with him for over a decade – trapped with a man who had hurt and abused you in many more ways than one, she thought as she sneaked a peek at the bruise on Ikuto's cheek. It had grown darker over the day and she felt her ire grow and grow until she honestly felt as though she could march right down the corridor and whack the despicable man until he saw some sense. What was the use of it all? Going on a wild goose–chase for mythical treasure and dragging everyone down to hell with you! Indeed the absurdity was infuriating! But the truth was that it was real and it was happening – the Captain was obsessed and his life would revolve around his hope of gold until his death, most likely, and in the meantime poor, common, good people such as Ikuto next to her had been forced to take his cruel and tyrannous ways and to weather the storm of the journey until they had been worn away, their spirits drenched in stifling sea spray.

Ikuto didn't deserve it. And she didn't want him to have to take it.

"Ikuto?" Amu shifted over, her voice soft and gentle, closer to the pirate who should have been below deck by now; who should have been a guard to her and nothing more; who never should have come sneaking over here in the dead of night to spill all of his Captain's close-guarded secrets. She remembered that night on the deck of the ship when that beautiful melody had danced on the sea breeze and the Key had first shone for her under the white glow of the moon. She remembered the care with which he had healed her thankfully brief experience of scurvy and the gentle, tender touch of hands gliding over soft skin and easing away her pain, sending shocks and static straight up her spine. She recalled quickly that desire of hers to earn some sort of trust between them – to see a side to Ikuto that no one else aboard this ship ever had…

Ikuto looked back at her, his face now uncommonly calm and relaxed at the distraction of her voice. The cloudiness in his eyes began to clear and they seemed to shine all on their own in hues of blue and purple as breath-taking at the night sky. They stayed on her, bright and unmoving, gazing intently into her own. Her heart hammered. Her palms were clammy. She felt light headed…

And only now did a sudden understanding root itself deep within her heart. This was the side that Ikuto had never shown before – here, now in her cabin. Ikuto would never be an open book. He would never have all of his emotions displayed for all to see. But she thought of the way he had comforted his sister and the melody he had played on his violin and she thought of how he had looked out for her since the very day he woke up aboard the Shining Black – whether it had been keeping her in or out of the dark she realised that he had only been trying to help her situation. And it must have been quite the predicament for him too, she thought. He could have told her everything from the start, but that would have left her without any plausible deniability in the face of the Captain. However, had he granted her that privilege for the sake of her safety she would have slowly been driven mad without any of the knowledge she had a right to know. But it was his own way of helping and it was him showing her a degree of kindness in his own small ways. And that was a real privilege and it touched her heart with gratitude and joy… And other emotions that she had only just begun to consider.

Like how Amu couldn't deny that she was absolutely fascinated by him.

But this was not the night for her to dwell on whatever had changed in her mind. It was, however, most certainly a night for answers and a night for some well-deserved closure on her part and so she smiled sweetly at him and nodded a little, prompting him to continue and drawing both of them out of their own thoughts and back into the matters at hand.

" Ikuto?" Amu said quietly.

The man blinked his blue eyes once or twice, effectively snapped out of his reverie. "Yes…" he said dumbly as he tried to recall what he'd been saying. "What..?"

The heiress smiled a little. "The raids." She explained. "You were telling me about the raids the Captain organised. Searching for the Key."

The ship swelled beneath them and the light from the window faded. The pirate glanced over his shoulder and watched as thick clouds rolled across the sky, blocking out the moon and smothering the white glimmer of the stars. "Oh."

"I know," she replied in that soft, steady way her mother used to use whenever she needed to comfort her. "It is cruel – cruel without a doubt. Your father–"

"He's not my father!" Ikuto unexpectedly snapped, the words bitter, although Amu knew that whatever anger that tone had held was not directed at her. Not in the slightest.

Amu was, however, once more stunned. Her golden eyes wide in surprise, she murmured slowly; "He's… He's not? Well then why do they say..? I mean, I thought–"

"He's not my father," he said again, quieter this time and calmer, but his voice held a heavy sorrow that broke her heart to hear. She allowed him a moment of silence (after all, he was opening up to her, it seemed and it would be awful of her to press such a seemingly sensitive matter) before he went on; "I said that many had died for this Key. That many had suffered," and it was there in the open again, now sat in the palm of his hand. He sighed, giving in to whatever resolve of his that had forced him to bottle everything up for so, so long. "I think Kazuomi had something to do with my father's disappearance."

Whatever Amu had been expecting, it most definitely had not been that and she found herself so moved that she shifted over again until she was right up against his side, a hand on his arm, as she listened.

"This Key – it was my father's. Kazuomi knew he had it. I don't know how, but he did. I don't even remember where my father got it. Passed down maybe, like your Lock, but he gave it to me before the end – before he left… And when he left that night he never came back. Something had worried him. Something frightened him… It must have been Kazuomi," he seethed; "it _must _have been because it was _them _– _his_ gangs! – that came not two weeks later to ravage our home. They burnt it. They burnt everything. They broke in when we were all asleep and tore the place apart. Our family home that we had worked and built up for over a hundred years and they just _burnt _it..!" Ikuto stopped for a moment, breathing steadily, not noticing or minding the hand that gently caressed his forearm. Amu leant against him and he didn't make to move her, feeling as though he had found a rare stone pillar of support in a stormy sea. "I escaped," he went on, but to Amu's despair his voice was once more cold and distant; "and I took the Key and my father's violin with me. My mother and Utau were caught. I did not see them. Not until I came here. I lived in the streets with the drunks and the strays like an alley-cat until they found me. His thugs grabbed me and took me here and I found out that Kazuomi had locked away my sister and forced my mother into marriage to secure the last of my family's fortune out of spite… And this is where I've been for a decade."

Speechless, Amu stared ahead into the darkness. The room and the shadows about it swum as her eyes grew glassy with unshed tears. She wiped them out with a free hand, though her heart continued to weep for him; for Utau; for the poor woman who had lost her husband and for all the hardships they had suffered. The heartache was indescribable, but she didn't have to mention it out loud, for Ikuto understood far better than she could ever put into words. He glanced down at her and they sat side-by-side in the quiet of the cabin, both dejected, yet glad for each other's company. Eventually Ikuto smirked a little.

"You feel far too comfortable there, Amu."

Immediately she withdrew her arm from his (when had she done that, she wondered?) and shoved him lightly, far too overwhelmed to be truly irritated. She supposed it was his awkward way of diffusing the awkward situatuon – completely inappropriate in that sort of situation! She rolled her eyes as he chuckled. "Hopeless…"

"Completely." Ikuto breathed a sigh, rising to his feet. "Well… That's it. I'm not sure there's much more left for me to say. That's the reason you've been captured, Amu. Kazuomi has many allies in Seiyo. It was easy enough for them to find out if you were leaving the Palace and where you were heading. It's all been for the Treasure."

A little disheartened that their little evening appeared to be coming to an end, the Princess nodded slightly. Now that she understood and that it was beginning to sink in, Amu felt sick. "Yes… Yes, it seems so…" She swallowed with difficulty as if trying to stomach all she had been told that night. "And the only reason Kazuomi didn't just kill me and take my Lock that night was because he thought my family had the Key… Still, I suppose I should be grateful. Otherwise I should be dead by now." She reasoned, although her stomach lurched as she considered that one day Kazuomi might indeed come upon the Key on his own ship and her life, hanging by a thread as it was, would be worthless…

'_A thought for another day, Amu,' _she told herself as she stood herself and stepped towards the other in the room.

"Thank you, Ikuto." Amu said, smiling softly. And she meant it. "Thank you."

Honestly, she thought to herself as she watched the pirate opposite her, how was it that she was fortunate enough for Ikuto to open up to _her_ of all people? How had she earned that privilege? How had she been trusted enough with that sort of information and those stories and tales of his past that she was sure none other on the Shining Black (save his family and Kazuomi's brutes) had ever heard before. She felt _honoured. _She felt _elated _that she had been that person for him to trust enough to lean on when things got too much for him to bear – literally. Her heart fluttered.

"You're welcome, Amu." Ikuto said quietly. "Do you have anything else to ask me?"

She shook her head. "You've done more than enough. You shouldn't stay all night. The crew will wonder where you are."

Ikuto hummed to himself – a sound of amusement that broke out into a mischievous grin. "Amu," he drawled and she tried not to pay attention to how good her name sounded as it rolled off his tongue; "you'd have me spend the night?"

Now there was a cheek that she had _not _expected and, though it sent a thrill throughout her chest, Amu pursed her lips, flustered and blushing pink, and made to drag him towards the door.

"Now, now, Ikuto, down below with you! Don't want to make the shipmates suspicious!"

He just chuckled as he grabbed his keys and reached for the doorknob. "Goodnight, Amu," Ikuto added; "I'll bring more food tomorrow."

Amu smiled. "Thank you, Ikuto."

And with that he left, the door quietly swinging shut behind him and the keys jingling as he locked up for the night. Inside, Amu, giddy and exhausted, grinned.

The promise of another sack of food the next day was more than appealing.

~.~.~

* * *

_(__**A/N: **__I'm so sorry for this chapter it took me nearly a week to write which mostly consisted of me uselessly keyboard smashing and trying desperately to smoothly piece together the chapter plan I wrote for it years ago. I don't know that I achieved that so well. Idk it's been a while. I'll probably come back and re-upload it when I can improve it._

_But I'm like halfway through the story now. I think. The chapters are all merging for me. What chapter is this again?_

_As always, reviews are appreciated!)_


	26. Twenty-Six

~.~.~

Night lay still and breathless upon the seaside town. Silence reigned. Taverns were shut; horses stabled; the only lights the glow of veiled candles through bedroom windows as one by one outside lanterns darkened along the coastline. The town had succumbed to the peaceful shadow creeping over from the east and all seemed frozen in time save for the gentle, calm wash of the sea on the shore, rolling in sleepily as if the ocean itself were sighing in content or breathing in a deep slumber.

And yet one soul remained awake and bright in the hushed world of the night. He sat vigil from his high seat atop the headland – a single torch lit above all others in the study of his abode – and from that beacon there came but a single sound; a whisper as subtle as the sea air in the rustling grass or as the soft flapping of a resting gull on the cliffs;

"_How strange…"_

The screech of a chair; the chinking of cups; the sudden, light footsteps were deafening in his ears, like thunder above the quiet of his own voice as he scurried up the steps. He muttered all the way, hushed, yet excited and curious;

"_How strange, how strange – how very, very strange…"_

Tsukasa barely stopped to catch his breath as he came to the topmost level of his home on the headland and he smiled as he came to face the doors of his observatory – the jewel in the crown of his lavish residence. Yet he did not make for that magnificent domed room that glowed with the light of a hundred stars. He instead would look upon the real thing. He turned to the small doorway at the end of the little corridor and as he stepped outside he found himself now bathed in moonlight. He smiled. The heavens were ablaze tonight in the clearest sky he had seen for days.

Here on the rooftop there had been made a railed platform that wrapped around the globed roof of the observatory. His favourite place to stargaze, it was, for, though balconies were a common feature about the Amakawa mansion, only here was the view unlimited. Only here could the fortune teller view the entirety of the midnight sky with such ease as he leisurely strolled toward the edge, placing his hand on the cold iron railings and craning his head upwards to observe the stars.

He stood there for some moments – staring; scouring the sky for something he could not find until…

"Oh,"

He saw it again all of a sudden. It seemed to leap out of the depths of the heavens, standing proud above all other fires around it. Tsukasa gazed upward, awestruck, and a grin tugged at his lips as he saw the constellations side by side, their points seemingly overlapping, their combined light drowning out those other stars beside them.

"A trick of the eyes?" he asked himself. "A prank on the mind? Or have they truly come together this night?"

But the Lock and Key just shone steadily in the sky and Tsukasa laughed aloud and freely.

"Just look how far you've come! My little marionette…" he sighed heavily; "I'd go as far to say I'm proud of you. Keep on burning. Keep on hoping."

And then, as an afterthought;

"_Hold on."_

~.~.~

Utau couldn't quite put her finger on it.

She heard it then – the muffled giggle; the jingle of keys; the squeaking of floorboards and all the signs that someone was finally there. Her ears pricking up like those of a startled deer, the young woman quickly rose from her seat at the rickety table and scurried over to the doorway with all the cunning, stealthy quiet of those graceful creatures and went to peek through the gap of the keyhole… And, of course, there they were: her dearest brother and the Captain's captured Princess.

Amu closed her cabin door behind her, looking particularly flustered this morning from what Utau could see, hurriedly brushing the back of her hand across her mouth. Brushing her hands together and patting down the ruffles of her ruined dress – the same dress she'd arrived in no less – a few crumbs scattered to the floor. Utau frowned and glanced over at Ikuto. She had suspected for several days now that he had been feeding her, but it was not until that moment that she'd been able to prove what her mind was telling her – or trying to tell her, anyway.

That part of her mind now tutted at her, tapping its foot in that 'I-told-you-so' manner that everybody hates, but Utau was too taken aback to care as she tried her best not to sigh aloud, resting her head wearily against the doorframe. Her heart slowly sank in her chest. She hadn't wanted to believe that her hunch had been true. She'd been kidding herself that Ikuto wasn't stupid enough to do such a thing. _"She's smuggled food from the hold", _she'd told herself. _"There's probably a store of tack in her cabin!", _she'd said… But no, she saw for herself now what had been going on. All those late nights and early mornings made sense now – all of those stolen glimpses she'd caught of her brother sneaking up through the hatchway and tapping faintly on her door before the sun had risen or after the moon had sunk; all so secretive and mysterious and so much like him. He'd been feeding her in secret even after all the grief their Captain had given him after the incident with the lemons. Oh, yes, Utau knew about that. Ikuto might not have told her what had happened that day or where the bruises had come from, but his sister had good ears and a knack for sneaking about the ship unnoticed; not to mention that she had one or two confidants on board who were more than willing to come and talk to her on those dark, dreadful days when she couldn't face stepping outside her door.

But, as she watched for now, her mind was suddenly struck blank with the realisation of just what her brother had been doing… And with the sudden terror of what the Captain would do if he caught wind of such blatant disregard for his orders so close to his cabin.

"_What?"_

The whisper brought Utau back to the scene before her. Amu was turning pink, trying desperately not to smile.

"_Ikuto!"_

Utau watched in mild horror as the Princess – blushing madly like a foolish schoolgirl – reached out and playfully shoved her brother's arm. _Playfully _shoved. _Her _brother, _Ikuto._

And he _laughed. _He didn't huff, he didn't scowl, he didn't shrug away; he chuckled and shot her a mischievous glance as he locked her cabin door for the day before straightening up, pacing forwards until he knew he towered above her, and smirked;

"You're so _messy."_

Suppressed laughter persisted whilst the Princess gave an indignant splutter before furiously wiping at her mouth again until her lips were bright red. "Your bread was too stale!" she countered, checking her fingers for stray crumbs. "Practically inedible!"

An exaggerated sigh; "You try keeping bread fresh on a sea voyage, Your _Highness_,"

"I'd give it to the gulls."

"You'd give our finest loaves to sea rodents?"

"Now, Ikuto, don't be so hard on yourself – I said I'd give you some if you asked for it!"

And, to Utau's utter shock, Ikuto leaned forward and bopped her teasingly on the nose, muttering something about a punishment for her wise mouth.

The blonde couldn't believe it. All she could do was observe, open-mouthed, as Amu and Ikuto threw their playful banter back and forth as they turned and made to leave the stern together for their day's work. Behind them, still pressed to the keyhole, words failed her. The exchange was comfortable and calm. It was relaxed and natural and it had an air of familiarity about it that had Utau frozen dumbly against the door in her cabin.

She didn't know what to make of it. She saw them smile and jest – Amu more at first, but then… Then she saw her brother. He was smiling. He was laughing again. There was a new light in her brother's eyes – a warm, glowing light full of life and animation. And it was something that Utau hadn't even seen for herself for a long, long time now. Not that they didn't have their pleasant times together, but Ikuto had always been… _reserved_. For most of the time, anyway, even with her when they were too near the other crew members. And yet here he was, like a changed man even in plain sight of the dark, foreboding doorway that lay just behind them.

But, for a moment, Utau thought that perhaps she half understood as she followed her brothers' gaze. Amu stood in the light of the window panes and her face became alight with colour; her pale skin as radiant as the sun on the water, her hair the colour of roses in the light of dawn…

And still Utau stood, fascinated, even as they stepped out of sight. The doors at the end of the corridor swung shut behind them and that same light that just a second ago had transformed the stolen Princess fell upon the keyhole, blinding Utau's vision. But she couldn't bring herself to move away. The sun was warm that day and something that might have been the slightest hint of hope was beginning to blossom in her chest.

~.~.~

It had been days since the Captain had last come out onto the deck. It had been days since their encounter with Fortune and the uncovering of the Humpty Lock. Days since Amu had found herself pinned to the mast by the Captain's cutlass and still… He had not come out.

Something had overcome him, the crewmates said – some sort of madness, some sort of lunacy. Something twisted and obsessive had overcome his already dark, sordid heart and now he stayed confined like a caged animal in his cabin, pacing back and forth liked a tiger, howling like a wolf in madness. The only one who had the so-called 'privilege' to enter that room was Ikuto who had become rushed off his feet delivering bottle after bottle, tankard after tankard of ale or rum or wine… Whatever he could get his hands on, Kazuomi wanted it. Ikuto would emerge from the hold, enter the Captain's cabin – now even darker and danker and more oppressive than it had ever been, apparently – and silently place whatever alcohol he'd brought on the nearest available surface before backing out, not even stopping for acknowledgement, and waiting for the next half hour or so to get to it once more.

These rumours of madness were said to be true, of course, by none other than Ikuto himself. He reported that whatever the Captain was doing in there was unknown even to him. The man just wouldn't talk. He wouldn't explain. He'd just look up occasionally whenever his stepson entered the room and, even rarer, demand more to drink in a hushed, distracted voice. Although, it had to be whispered by several of the crew members amongst themselves, that there was something big going on in that cabin – something dark and dangerous and unknown. The brutes were acting oddly, Kukai thought. They had started getting up earliest, staying on deck latest; he said he'd heard their heavy boots on the planks updeck far past midnight.

"I suspect Captain's doing a lot more talking after hours," the red-haired pirate stressed, scampering after Ikuto as he made his way down to the galley, two empty goblets in his hands waiting to be filled at his stepfather's drunken request. "Those big burly blokes – they've been in his cabin after dark, I swear by it! They're like – they're like some sort of _allies _of his or somethin'!"

A weariness overcame Ikuto's looks. He lifted the tap on the keg of rum as if it held the greatest weight in the world. "That's exactly what they are, Kukai."

"Well, that don't shock me much, but, I tell you, there's a mighty big tension about them now. It's like they're waiting for something; waiting for Captain to do something, I dunno… They just," he scratched the back of his scruffy head; "they just feel like dogs to me – you know, the race dogs? They sit at the gates on the track all hunched over, all coiled up ready to spring,"

Ikuto shook his head and moved on to the next empty goblet. "I don't know what's going on any more than the rest of us do…"

"You think he'll take it out on Amu bad if he doesn't get his treasure?"

The flow of rum stopped midway.

"That's what this is all for, right?"

Ikuto just looked down into the cup in his hand, watching the intoxicating liquid swish round silently in its silver depths. His fingers clenched around it until his knuckles turned white. Something was tightening in his chest. "I don't know anymore, Kukai…"

A pause followed. Ikuto eventually filled both goblets in silence.

Kukai sighed deeply. "Looks like somethin's gotta give, though, before the rum runs dry."

A humourless laugh left the other man's lips;

"I hope he drinks himself to death."

~.~.~

A world away, as the little ornate clock above the cabinet chimed twelve, ruby eyes followed the little trail of light as it swayed over the table-top. The sunlight poured in from the grand windows at the back of the Captain's cabin and through the decanter, sending cognac-coloured patterns across the desk. They danced lazily from side to side with the movement of the ship as it steadily pressed onwards. Tadase watched them sway with partial interest, dragging his tired eyes to follow them across the wooden surface, only that began to cause the ache in his temples to groan in protest. The pain was minor, but he knew not to test it and so he sighed, running a hand down his face and giving up to stare blankly into space.

Besides, it was nothing compared to the ache that throbbed in his side.

A week it had been since it happened – since his little skirmish with the unruly sea Captain that had left him bed-bound for nearly three days, wrapped in bandages and mad with restlessness. It had been a push for him to emerge from his cabin these past couple of days and continue his day-to-day activities as normal… But now he was starting to feel the strain of that push weigh down on him. His thoughts were slow; his wound was beginning to grow uncomfortable; and he felt as though his brain had been submerged in the sea, slowly drowning, groaning under water pressure…

He tried to scoff at himself. He was a Commander, for God's sake! He was a naval man hardened by sea-salt and foam-spray and the long months served in honour of the King, bobbing about in the oceans furthest from home – and yet here he was slumped in his chair like a rebellious new recruit, barely managing to listen to the other five men gathered at the table, pouring over faded maps and sea-charts. Pin-like objects had been stuck into the paper and 'X' marks noted the spots where pirate ships had been found and searched and left to float; destroyed and still smoking with gunpowder shot. Circles scattered the seas where potential buccan ships had been last sighted and, similarly, more points were drawn along coastlines of little islands and archipelagos where pirate gatherings were said to take place. There were so many points to cover and each man was worn down with the knowledge that they were taking on a near-impossible task. One man dressed in the most awful gold-stitched linen leant over and placed his final 'X' on the spot where they had encountered their last pirate sloop. Twelve more marks scattered the waters between the country of Seiyo and the main continents to the east, yet all had proven useless in their quest to track down the ship that held their future Queen.

Tadase looked up from the map to the men about the table as they tried to agree on their next plan of attack, trying to ignore the heat that was starting to swallow his abdomen. The Captain of the Seraphic Charm was currently in a disagreement of sorts with his quartermaster – a short, yet fierce, quick-tempered man who looked far older than his years – whilst the other higher-ups attempted to appease the situation and reach some kind of compromise. Feeling suddenly very guilty that he had not been paying attention despite having been the sole organiser of this entire operation, Tadase straightened up in his seat, pushing the pain aside with great effort, and sheepishly glanced at each of his companions. None had noticed that he'd spent the past few minutes in a daze. He didn't even know how it had happened. One moment he'd been focused and the next…

"–_crawling _with buccaneers, Captain!" the quartermaster waved his hand as if to dismiss whatever had been suggested. "Our task is merely to _seek _and _locate _Her Royal Highness; if you start your own personal _war–"_

"Are you even _listening _to what I am saying, my good man? What I'm saying is if a pirate has enough bounty, he takes it here! He shows off his prize – gives it to the highest bidder!"

"Yes, I understand, but Her Highness is not bounty! She is in a hostage situation! They surely would not sell her! They plan to use Her Royal Highness as some sort of leverage, surely."

An argument broke out across the table and the Commander wanted to groan. Normally he would have yelled at them – cursed their insolence and their petty arguments when their minds should have been set to the task at hand – and stood tall and authoritative, taking charge and making their decisions for them because _he _had brought them here. _He _had gathered these ships and their crew and _he _had led them in the hunt for his fiancée from the very beginning. He needed to find her and he ached with longing each and every day. He had been as fierce and powerful as he ever thought he would on this journey and yet, somehow, here he sat still and silent and watched as the so-called 'higher-ups' squabbled and squawked amongst themselves like buzzards fighting over a scavenged kill. Annoyance rose within him. This was _no_ way to go about the task. This was not going to save his love.

This time, Tadase did groan aloud, but no one heard. Their volume had risen and it reverberated about in Tadase's skull so painfully that he thought his head would explode. All of a sudden the temperature of the room seemed to rise. The Commander broke out in an uncomfortable sweat. His head was light and his throat was dry and the aching in his head strained his eyes so that he couldn't bear to even try and focus on the maps on the table. Tadase glanced out the window at the calm of the sea to try and relax himself and blinked, his eyes increasingly growing heavier and heavier…

They drooped once, but he managed to save himself. Suddenly what had been a steady heat in his side had blazed into an inferno and he knew at that moment that he'd made a mistake in braving a day outside his cabin. He was in trouble. He felt fuzzy and faint and this cabin was just so _stuffy._._!_ He adjusted the collar of his uniform. His breathing became heavy. He needed air.

He stood uneasily. He barely registered the deafening shriek of the chair as it slid back. He barely heard the room go silent or the felt the eyes all rest upon him. He heard nothing save the heartbeat pounding in his chest and the blood rushing in his ears. Someone's lips moved, but he could not hear them say his name. He couldn't speak; he couldn't move; he couldn't see for the fog that shrouded his vision.

The darkness was too overpowering. He didn't even feel his body hit the floor.

~.~.~


End file.
